Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2428. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools participating in the school meals programme; and the number of children benefiting in this regard. [33326/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2429. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools participating in the school meals programme, by county, in tabular form. [33327/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2578. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools in receipt of payments under the school meals programme; the number of pupils that benefited; the number of schools in DEIS not utilising the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35235/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2428, 2429 and 2578 together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting up to 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.
In recent years priority for new applications for funding had been given to schools which are part of the DEIS programme. In the 2017/2018 academic year there were 49 DEIS schools not participating in the scheme. These schools have been contacted again and invited to participate in the scheme for the coming academic year.
There are two schemes operated under the school meals programme. The first scheme is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects. The second is the urban school meals scheme which is operated by local authorities in some 300 schools and part-financed by the Department.
The number of schools and organisations by county participating in the school meals programme is provided in the attached tabular statement.
Table 1: Number of schools & organisations benefitting from the School Meals (Local Projects) Scheme in the 2017/2018 academic year by county
Number of schools and organisations benefitting from SMLPS in 2017/2018
|
County |
Number of schools |
Number of organisations |
Total |
|
Carlow |
26 |
5 |
31 |
|
Cavan |
17 |
12 |
29 |
|
Clare |
27 |
6 |
33 |
|
Cork |
89 |
25 |
114 |
|
Donegal |
142 |
9 |
151 |
|
Dublin |
284 |
83 |
367 |
|
Galway |
63 |
6 |
69 |
|
Kerry |
44 |
13 |
57 |
|
Kildare |
25 |
4 |
29 |
|
Kilkenny |
17 |
5 |
22 |
|
Laois |
14 |
2 |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
13 |
4 |
17 |
|
Limerick |
42 |
11 |
53 |
|
Longford |
19 |
2 |
21 |
|
Louth |
27 |
5 |
32 |
|
Mayo |
99 |
2 |
101 |
|
Meath |
18 |
1 |
19 |
|
Monaghan |
22 |
9 |
31 |
|
Offaly |
23 |
1 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
26 |
6 |
32 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
2 |
30 |
|
Tipperary |
43 |
9 |
52 |
|
Waterford |
22 |
8 |
30 |
|
Westmeath |
24 |
4 |
28 |
|
Wexford |
43 |
9 |
52 |
|
Wicklow |
17 |
4 |
21 |
|
Grand Total |
1,214 |
247 |
1,461 |
Table 2: Number of schools benefitting from the Urban School Meals Scheme in 2018
Schools benefitting from USMS in 2018
|
County |
Number of schools |
|
Carlow |
3 |
|
Cork |
31 |
|
Dublin |
219 |
|
Kerry |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
3 |
|
Limerick |
14 |
|
Louth |
6 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
|
Meath |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
|
Waterford |
10 |
|
Wexford |
6 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
|
Grand Total |
307 |
Table 3: Number of schools benefitting from the Schools Meals (Local Projects) Scheme and the Urban School Meals Scheme in 2018
Number of schools and organisations benefitting from SMLPS & USMS with duplicate removed where schools benefit from both schemes.
|
County |
Number of schools |
Number of other organisation |
Total |
|
Carlow |
27 |
5 |
32 |
|
Cavan |
17 |
12 |
29 |
|
Clare |
27 |
6 |
33 |
|
Cork |
93 |
25 |
118 |
|
Donegal |
142 |
9 |
151 |
|
Dublin |
376 |
83 |
459 |
|
Galway |
63 |
6 |
69 |
|
Kerry |
46 |
13 |
59 |
|
Kildare |
25 |
4 |
29 |
|
Kilkenny |
19 |
5 |
24 |
|
Laois |
14 |
2 |
16 |
|
Leitrim |
13 |
4 |
17 |
|
Limerick |
45 |
11 |
56 |
|
Longford |
19 |
2 |
21 |
|
Louth |
30 |
5 |
35 |
|
Mayo |
99 |
2 |
101 |
|
Meath |
19 |
1 |
20 |
|
Monaghan |
22 |
9 |
31 |
|
Offaly |
23 |
1 |
24 |
|
Roscommon |
26 |
6 |
32 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
2 |
30 |
|
Tipperary |
45 |
9 |
54 |
|
Waterford |
26 |
8 |
34 |
|
Westmeath |
24 |
4 |
28 |
|
Wexford |
47 |
9 |
56 |
|
Wicklow |
20 |
4 |
24 |
|
Grand Total |
1,335 |
247 |
1,582 |
