Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

I agree with the Minister that we need the highest standards of nutrition, especially when dealing with young children so I support that. I have a couple of concerns. The same funding of €3.20 per meal and portion size is given to children ranging from junior infants to sixth class, that i,s from children as young as four to the age of 12. I am not sure if the Minister has kids but I have two girls and I recall when they were at that age. I have coached teams and seen that boys and girls of 12 years of age cannot have the same portion size as a four-yea- old so that needs to be examined. It needs to be amended and I ask the Minister to look at that.

A report by the Irish Farmers Journal found that some rural schools find it difficult to get local suppliers. The Irish country living section found that the traceability of the food can be poor. One example was where an ingredient was listed as "pasta sauce". That is not an ingredient so we need to work on that to ensure proper ingredients are supplied.

Last, I have concerns the programme is all being subcontracted out. I would like, where possible, for these workers to work in our schools and be part of our education system from a food point of view and a provider point of view. We see more and more privatisation. That has always been the Government's agenda. I do not want to argue with it but I would like to bring the programme back into the schools and see people employed full time to do it.

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