asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a proportion of the EEC co-responsibility levy will be available for school milk schemes; and the use Ireland will make of the money available under this heading.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Milk Schemes.
38.
A contribution from EEC funds, partly financed by the co-responsibility levy is available for the school meals schemes. Any Community moneys provided to this country will be used to pay for the milk supplied under these schemes.
Would the Minister agree that the number of schools which presently avail of this scheme is very small indeed by comparison with the total population and that Irish farmers through the co-responsibility levy are paying into this fund while many of their children are unable to avail of benefits of which other EEC nationals can avail through money paid by Irish farmers?
The Deputy knows that this matter was discussed before and on that occasion I pointed out that, perhaps regrettably, the take-up of free milk in rural areas is inconsiderable. There does not seem to be a demand in rural areas for milk as part of a free meals scheme.
I beg to differ with the Minister. When we last discussed this matter the funds were made available from the EEC and since then there has been a new development and money contributed by Irish farmers is being used in other parts of the Community to finance school milk schemes. Would the Minister agree that this strengthens the case for the introduction of a comprehensive school milk scheme, including milk products?
The reality of the situation is not as the Deputy would wish it to be. There does not seem to be any great demand even for free school meals and particularly for milk as a component of free school meals.
Some months ago the Minister indicated that he was unhappy with the way the present scheme was operating and he intimated that he was considering the introduction of some changes. Will those changes be implemented in the near future?
Not in the context of of the EEC scheme.
In any other way?
I understand the Minister has decided that there does not seem to be any widespread demand for free school meals and particularly for milk.
The position is that local authorities have the capacity to take the initiative in this matter and they would presumably respond to popular demand if it existed; they do not. The local authorities who could introduce free school meals do not do so.
Obviously the Minister is taking that as an indication that there is not any demand. Surely the Minister must be aware that direct representations have been made to the Department of Social Welfare by local communities asking that the scheme should be extended to their areas, which are not covered at present. Quite obviously the Minister is wrong in assuming that because local authorities do not extend the scheme there is not a demand.
My personal investigations into this matter present me with a very mixed picture as to the general desirability, acceptance and demand for free school meals in both urban and rural areas.
If the Minister, having investigated the situation, is in some doubt as to the desirability, surely he should err on the side of ensuring that children who require meals should get them.
Would the Minister state if rural local authorities have the statutory power to introduce these schemes?
No.
Then how could the Minister say that there is not a demand in rural areas for these schemes?
That is the advice from people who are skilled in this type of social work. There is no particular value attached to free school meals in general. Certainly the overwhelming content of my advice is that there is no demand, particularly in rural areas, for milk as a component of free school meals.
If this money were available for some profit-making project the Government would be jumping to get it but just because it is available for children the Government say there is no need for it.
I approached this matter initially with the intention of making full use of any money available. My advice and my investigation and the information I have are a bit discouraging.
The Minister has not heard the last of this.
If the Deputy can supply me with evidence that there is a widespread demand in rural areas for free school meals with milk as a component, I should be very glad to receive the information.
I would ask the Minister to tell the House the source of the advice available to him because it is at variance with the advice available to me when I was Parliamentary Secretary.
I have had advice from various people engaged in this area—from teachers, social workers, public health nurses and others—I have taken the trouble to follow it up personally. I have asked for opinions on the whole question of the free school meals idea and I have had a very mixed reaction.
Is the Minister not aware that the whole of County Dublin, including Tallaght, Blan-chardstown and other places, is classified as a rural area?
The Deputy knows the type of constituency I represent.
Would it not be better to have the power and authority extended to all local authorities?
The first thing would be for some rural local authority to ask for permission to introduce such a scheme. When that comes about we can look into it.