Robert Troy
Question:449. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details on the tendering process for the provision of meals for pupils at a school (details supplied). [24031/23]
View answerTuesday, 23 May 2023
Questions (449)
Written answers
The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2023 provided €94.4 million for the programme. The Government recently approved an additional €14.5m to allow access to the Hot School Meals scheme for all remaining DEIS schools from September 2023.
Funding under the school meals (local projects) scheme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided.
My Department provides the funding directly to the schools for the provision of school meals. Schools have responsibility to procure the provision of the food in compliance with Government procurement guidelines, HACCP, Food Safety regulations and the Nutritional Standards for School Meals. My department has no direct role in the procurement of school meals.
I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years. In this regard, I intend to roll out the Hot School Meals to all remaining DEIS primary and Special schools from September 2023, benefiting more than 60,000 children.
In addition, my Department has contacted all remaining schools requesting they submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals. The responses received will help to inform a policy for the future expansion of the programme on a phased basis.
I trust this clarifies the matter.