Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2018
532. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing funding to the school meals programme by percentage rates (details supplied). [27524/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children at a total cost of €54 million in 2018 representing an increase of €6.5 million over the previous year. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Based on the 2018 budgetary allocation of €54 million, the additional annual costs of expanding the school meals programme by 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% are €5.4 million, €10.8 million, €16.2 million and €21.6 million respectively. Changes to increase the funding of any scheme administered by my Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
