Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
458. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is possible for schools (details supplied) to seek a higher allowance than that of the €1.70 currently available, should they opt for cold lunch options, through the hot school meals scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10700/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
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. These meals must meet the nutritional standards for the school meals programme.
Last year, I published an independent evaluation of the School Meals Programme which sets out the positive impact the Programme is having in terms of children’s education and wellbeing.
The report recommended an increase in funding rates for all meal options in the School Meals Programme. In response, I secured government approval for the following rate increases for the various meal options provided on the School Meals Programme effective from 1st January 2023:
• Breakfast - increase from €0.60 to €0.75 (15c increase).
• Cold Lunch - increase from €1.40 to €1.70 (30c increase).
• Dinner - increase from €1.90 to €2.50 (60c increase).
• Hot School Meal - increase from €2.90 to €3.20 (30c increase).
These are the current maximum rates of payment per child, per day for the particular meal type.
I am committed to continuing to expand the Hot School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme that has taken place in recent years.
The roll out of the Hot School Meals to all remaining DEIS primary and Special schools began in September 2023. However, I am committed to further expanding the Hot School Meals Programme. All remaining primary schools were contacted last year and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals.
Expressions of interests were received from over 900 primary schools in respect of 150,000 children. Late last year, these schools were invited to participate in the Hot School Meals Programme from April 2024. If all of these schools go on to participate, this would result in total participation in the Hot School Meals scheme of some 1,600 schools and 267,000 children. This would be a positive outcome considering that the scheme involved just 30 schools at pilot stage when I started expanding it.
There will also be an opportunity for all other primary schools who have subsequently expressed an interest, to do so formally later this year.
If the school referred to by the Deputy is a primary school, they would have been given the opportunity to avail of the €3.20 rate for the hot meals option.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
