Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take questions Nos 9 and 15 together.

The 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.

I recently announced that the hot school meals programme has been expanded to include an additional 900 primary schools and 150,000 children. This means that over 2,000 primary schools are able to benefit from hot school meals. The programme started in 2019 with a small pilot of 30 schools.

The nutritional standards for school meals were developed by a working group led by the Department of Health, in consultation with Safefood and the healthy eating and active living programme in the Health Service Executive.

In March 2023, 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 well-being. The key finding was an overwhelming consensus among all participants in the evaluation that the programme is effective. Most parents suggested that their child had an improved attitude towards food, highlighting the benefits of the programme in encouraging healthy eating. Students were asked how they felt about the programme and their responses were overall positive. They praised the taste and nutritional quality of the food. Data from principals showed that their views of the nutritional values, the quality, and the portion size of the meals provided were favourable. Changing children’s attitudes towards healthier eating was also a common theme across principals’ responses. Most principals indicated that the programme improved physical health, attendance and performance. These findings are consistent with the pilot project report, published by my Department in March 2021.

Last week, I announced a new round of expressions of interest. My Department is in the process of contacting any primary schools that are not yet part of this important scheme to invite them to express an interest. I would encourage any primary schools that have yet to participate to now come on board. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Following the expansion of the scheme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations covering 443,000 are now eligible for funding under the school meals programme. Under the hot school meals programme, 900 primary schools were added this year means. This means that 150,000 more children will get hot school meals. I reiterate that from this month, over 2,000 primary schools will benefit from hot school meals and that the programme began in 2019 with a small pilot of just 30 schools.

I am absolutely committed to the provision of hot schools meals. It is a wonderful programme. I am delighted that this Government has been able to expand it because it does make a difference to the children, their educational attainment and to their attendance at school. When I visited some of the schools, teachers told me that some children come to school because they are getting hot dinners. That means the programme is making a difference to their lives.

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