Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 April 2024
99. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that children with coeliac disease, which has an incidence rate of 1 in 100 people in Ireland, are unable to avail of the hot school meals programme; the steps her Department can take to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18163/24]
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.
The Nutritional Standards for School Meals were developed by a working group led by the Health and Wellbeing Programme in the Department of Health, in consultation with Safefood and the Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme in the Health Service Executive.
Each school is required to provide a menu choice of at least two different meals per day and where required, provide a vegetarian/vegan option and an option that caters for students’ religious and cultural dietary requirements and medical conditions. The food provided for those with allergies/ conditions must comply with the Standards. Guidance on allergies such as coeliac disease and gluten intolerance is available from www.Safefood.net/Allergens.
Schools are responsible for choosing their own School Meals supplier on the open market in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with Public Procurement rules. Under tender documentation as stipulated by the Schools Procurement’s Unit, the menu is to accommodate those with food intolerances and allergies, from lactose-free to vegetarian to gluten-free for example. In addition, the supplier is to check with the school upon award of the contract, the details of such to accommodate those potential customers and the supplier must provide clearly visible menu boards with an allergens list.
My Department provides the funding directly to the schools, who are then required to procure the provision of the food in compliance with Government procurement rules and with relevant Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point, Food Safety regulations and the Nutritional Standards for School Meals. It is the responsibility of the school to source a supplier that can meet the dietary requirements of all of their pupils. I trust this clarifies the matter.
