Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
393. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list, by county, of all primary schools now providing hot school meals following this week's expansion, in tabular form; if she will include the address, location and roll number of each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17362/24]
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. The Programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the Programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering 443,000 children are now eligible for funding.
I am committed to continuing to expand the School Meals Programme and building further on the significant extension of the Programme that has taken place in recent years. As part of this significant expansion plan, 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 and late last year these schools were invited to participate in the Hot School Meals Programme from 8th April 2024. The Programme has grown significantly in recent years and over 2,000 Primary Schools are now eligible to receive a Hot Meal. My Department is still receiving applications from eligible schools seeking to join the Hot School Meals Programme.
The remaining Primary Schools who have not yet joined the scheme will be able to express an interest to receive Hot School Meals from September 2024. My Department will contact them by email shortly to notify them of the Expression of Interest process.
The schools currently signed up to hot school meals for 2023/2024 are listed in the tabular statement below as requested.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
