Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a very interesting proposal. I apologise for being late. I had a vote in the Seanad and, therefore, I did not hear what the witnesses had to say and I am not familiar with the questions members have asked. Out of a sum of €2.5 billion across all member states for seven years, what amount is Ireland likely to receive? The key goal of 20 million fewer people in poverty is laudable. I am conscious of the reference to food and other goods. I presume breakfast in schools would qualify. Breakfast is available in some schools in Ireland. There is significant evidence to support breakfast in schools on the basis that learning increases once nutrition is provided for brain development especially in the morning because it breaks the fast of the night before. Indeed, the World Bank has supported this in other countries. I am getting feedback to suggest that where breakfast is provided in schools many children are not eating the food. There is disadvantage in many settings that are not classified as disadvantaged. I would like to see this provided to all schools given the squeezed middle class, the squeezed coping classes and the fact that MABS could tell me the other day that more than one third of its clients are waged and self-employed and many are in pre-arrears. We need to look at a definition of "poverty" and a definition of who is disadvantaged. What other types of projects are likely to qualify? As this is a large amount of money, it is likely that this money would have been given to CAP previously.