Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The hot meals programme is a pilot, but I do not think we will be able to universally apply the programme in its first year. Hot meals are provided where children are in services for the full day. However, this programme will look at children in sessional services such as three-hour services to make sure that they get a hot meal such as breakfast or lunch. I referenced AIM because it has targeted levels of support, recognising that not every service needs the same level of support. Our tackling disadvantage scheme will be closer to that than the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, model. The DEIS model is kind of all or nothing whereas AIM recognises some children in some schools need considerable support and others need some support. We should design our disadvantage scheme in that way. We will work on it over the coming year. There is more work to be done. The scheme is not ready to roll out right now but the work is starting. It will be a valuable addition to our supports for services and especially for children.

See this speech in context