Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mar is eol don Taoiseach, bhí scéal ann i dtaobh míle leanbh i gConamara a chaill amach ar bhéilí scoile de bharr gur tharraing an comhlacht a bhí ag soláthar na mbéilí amach. The Taoiseach may be aware that in Connemara recently, 1,000 children lost their school meals because the provider ceased to provide them, citing financial pressures. This problem is spreading. It has become clear that there are problems with the school meal programme in the context of the cost-of-living crisis. The Taoiseach may have seen that we both received an e-mail from St. Maries of the Isle, a school with children attending from homeless shelters such as Edel House. Some of these children have now lost their school meal because the providers have pulled out. It is clear that financial pressures from the cost-of-living crisis are undermining the delivery of the school meals programme. Obviously, this is no one's intention but it is a very serious problem. We cannot allow meals to be swiped away from the neediest. I urge the Taoiseach to ensure this is reviewed at the earliest juncture.

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