Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I really appreciate her raising this issue today. This is something I will be focused on. A specific nutritional standard was set for school meals. This is based on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland food-based dietary recommendations for healthy eating. These were developed by a technical working group led by the health and well-being programme of the Department of Health, Safefood and the HSE's healthy eating and active living programme.

The Department of Social Protection has an oversight role in relation to the school meals programme. It conducts regular inspections of schools. Under the existing audit process, 400 schools are inspected annually. Every school must submit a sample menu with its application for the school meals programme. Funding will not be provided for food that does not comply with the standards I have referred to. All participating schools must also submit to my Department a signed service level agreement that clearly sets out the school’s responsibilities in terms of compliance with nutritional standards. It is important to note that there are a range of food options on the menu including lactose-free, vegetarian and gluten-free options. It is the parents who select the food choices for their children.

In December 2024, the Department of Social Protection established an interdepartmental working group, which includes the Departments of Health, Education, and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make recommendations on the operation of the scheme including recommendations on nutrition. In addition, my Department participates in the Department of Health’s obesity policy implementation oversight group.

Under the programme for Government, my Department will continue to expand and improve the hot school meals scheme and we will ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals and the dietary requirements of students, reduce food waste and utilise recyclable packaging. On any occasion there are specific concerns about food choice or the quality of food provided under the scheme, these should be brought to my Department’s attention. I assure the Deputy that the nutritional side of this scheme is very important to me. It is something I will very much focus on. I will ask the interdepartmental working group being established within my Department to focus on delivering the best value nutritionally as well as best value everywhere else.

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