Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In a recent on-line behaviour and attitudes survey involving 408 teachers 41% said the number of children going to school hungry had increased since this time last year. We are all aware of the fact that this deficit in society is increasing rapidly. It is estimated that in the region of 140,000 children attend school hungry and that they are hungry at home also.

A number of schools cannot serve pupils in need owing to a lack of facilities and personnel to assist with the school breakfast programme.

We will have to redouble our efforts through the Minister's Department, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Social Protection.

There are a lot of statistics which show the detrimental effect. The EU survey on income and living conditions 2014 shows that in Ireland, while the consistent poverty rate fell slightly from 11.7% in 2013 to 11.2% in 2014, one-parent families had the highest consistent poverty rate, at 22.1%. We have a lot of work to do to rectify the position.

See this speech in context