Róisín Shortall
Ceist:66 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the steps under way to improve the school meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20099/01]
Written Answers. - School Meals Scheme.
I have felt for some time that the original school meals scheme falls a long way short of what is required. Accordingly, I established an interdepartmental working group to review the scheme with a view to developing proposals for the future of school meals provision.
As part of the review, my officials engaged in a wide ranging consultation exercise. This included meeting with and visiting some of those involved in new school meals initiatives at local level. The working group also organised a seminar on school meals in conjunction with the Combat Poverty Agency.
The overwhelming area of concern identified was the lack of State funding for projects at local level and I decided that an immediate response was required. Pending completion of the review, I set up a new scheme – the school meals community programme – in September of last year, with initial funding of £100,000 per annum. This funding is intended to meet the food costs of the voluntary and community based groups that are currently operating innovative school meals projects.
It supports existing initiatives that are targeting areas of disadvantage or children with special needs. Unlike the statutory school meals scheme, it is available on a nation-wide basis to both primary and secondary schools. To date the funding has been allocated to 69 projects and benefits approximately 5,800 children. Inquiries have also been received from a number of schools that hope to set up projects in September 2001.
As this approach is proving very successful, I have allocated £300,000 to the scheme this year. However, this represents just an initial response aimed at supporting communities and schools that are already active in this area. The working group that is reviewing school meal provision is developing proposals to address the full range of issues in this area so that children throughout the school system can benefit.
I expect to receive the working group's report in the autumn of this year, following which I hope to be in a position to bring proposals to Government regarding a reformed school meals scheme.