Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1067. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the present rate of payment for a breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner and hot meal, respectively, under the school meals local projects scheme; when these rates of payment were set in each case; if it is intended to raise these in line with the increasing cost of food, labour and transport since the rates were set; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42228/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations and benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme 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.
Budget 2022 provided €68.1 million for the programme with an additional €9m provided to allow access to all new DEIS schools from September 2022.
Funding under the school meals programme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided. Full details of the rates are provided in the attached tabular statement.
The current rates have not changed since 2003 except for the hot school meal option which was introduced in 2019.
I am committed to continuing to expand the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme in recent years. In this regard, I have commissioned an evaluation of the school meals programme, which is currently underway. As part of this review, all elements of the programme, including rates, will be considered.
Any decisions regarding the school meals programme will also need to be considered in the context of this review and the budgetary process.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Table 1: Rates of payment for the School Meals Programme
|
Meal |
Max Rate of Payment (per child per day) |
Minimum number of food items |
Examples of Food to be Provided |
|
Breakfast/Snack |
€0.60 |
2 items |
1 serving of wholemeal/wholegrain cereal or bread PLUS 1 serving of fruit OR 1 serving of milk, yogurt or cheese |
|
Cold Lunch |
€1.40 |
1 substantial item + 1 small item + a drink |
Wholemeal/wholegrain sandwich or roll containing 1 serving meat, poultry, egg or cheese and 1 serving salad PLUS 1 serving fruit PLUS a drink (for example: water, milk, unsweetened juice) |
|
Dinner |
€1.90 |
Hot meal + drink |
1 serving meat, poultry, egg, beans PLUS 1 serving potatoes, pasta or rice PLUS 2 servings vegetables/fruit PLUS a drink (Milk, Water, Unsweetened Juice) |
|
Hot Meal |
€2.90 |
Hot Meal |
Per nutritional standards document |
