Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
887. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No.148 of 13 December 2023, if there is an appeal process through which a school (details supplied) can seek to be included in the hot school meals programme; and, if so, if the process will be outlined. [56810/23]
View answerThe objective of the School Meals 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. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
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. As part of this significant expansion plan, all remaining primary schools were contacted last year and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals.
Expressions of interests were received from over 900 primary schools in respect of 150,000 children and late last year these schools were invited to participate in the Hot School Meals Programme from April 2024.
My officials advise me that no expression of interest was received from the school referred to by the Deputy at that time.
The school meals (local projects) scheme is a non-statutory scheme and is not covered under social welfare legislation. It is one of a number of schemes which operates on an administrative basis. Administrative schemes are not appealable under social welfare legislation.
However, there will be an opportunity for this school and the other primary schools who have subsequently expressed an interest, to do so formally later this year.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
