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

We have been working with the school meals providers. There are a number of different providers who tender through the process. We increased the rates they are paid because they had not increased in many years. The rates they receive have been increased from 1 January this year. We are in constant contact with them. I am satisfied that we can roll this out to the DEIS schools and meet the target for this year. With regard to next year, we are putting out a call now to non-DEIS primary schools that may be interested in providing the hot school meals programme. We are putting that call out and we will see who comes forward. My aim is that by the time he or she goes to primary school, any child born today will get a hot school meal.

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