Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 January 2019
83. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is liaising with the Department of Health to examine projects relating to good eating habits for children in schools; his plans to introduce such programmes; his plans to extend breakfast clubs to all schools; his plans to introduce a hot lunch for all children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4775/19]
View answerMy Department works closely with the Department of Health and the HSE on the Healthy Ireland agenda. The Department is represented on a number of groups including the National Physical Activity Plan Implementation Group and on the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group.
Healthy Lifestyles guidance issued to post primary schools in 2015 and primary schools in 2016. This guidance was drafted in consultation with the Department of Health and my Department would like to acknowledge the commitment of schools in promoting healthy lifestyle choices for students in a number of ways, through the curriculum, through schools policy including healthy lunch policies and by the use of resources and programmes chosen by the school. My Department provides funding to the Incredible Edibles programme which is a fantastic programme run by Agri Aware for primary level students.
The School Meals Programme is operated by the Department of Social Protection provides funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school child through two schemes:
- The statutory Urban School Meals Scheme for primary schools is operated by Local Authorities and part-financed by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
- The non-statutory School Meals Local Projects Scheme provides funding directly from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to primary schools, secondary schools and local groups and voluntary organisations which operate their own school meals projects.
My Department will continue to work in partnership with other Departments and agencies to promote healthy lifestyles for students.
