Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 February 2023
278. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to expand the schools meals programme to additional schools in 2023; her plans to increase the rates of funding provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6149/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking 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. Additional funding for the programme has been provided for 2023 bringing the total to €94.4m. This represents a 53% funding increase in the period since 2020.
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.
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 commissioned the evaluation of the school meals programme to review all elements of the programme, including the funding rates currently being provided for the various meal options. The final report was recently received which I am currently reviewing. This report will help to inform future decisions around this important programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
