Dáil debates

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions

School Meals Programme

2:05 pm

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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27. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason cuts were made to the school meals programme in 2017; the schools which are expected to do without the necessary funding for the remainder of the school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26225/17]

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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As I know that the Minister is in the middle of a campaign to become leader of Fine Gael, I thank him for taking time out to come before the House to potentially answer his last series of questions as Minister. I cannot promise him that the questions I will put to him will help in his election campaign, but I hope he will be able to answer them regardless.

In February I referred to the consequences down the line for primary schools that had their school meals funding cut.

Tomorrow the consequences of these cuts will become a reality for many primary schools in the State. What is the Minister telling schools to do in the face of these cuts?

2:15 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Notwithstanding the ongoing campaign for the leadership of Fine Gael, I have fulfilled my parliamentary duties in full. I am here today and will be here later to take a Topical Issue. I will be at a committee tomorrow.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will attend the committee tomorrow.

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I will indeed. I have not missed a single parliamentary or Cabinet duty since the Taoiseach announced he was stepping down as leader.

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Good man.

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm to Members of the House that no cuts have been made to the school meals programme. The programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations, benefitting over 200,000 children. The allocation for 2017 is €47.5 million, an increase of €5.5 million or 13% on the 2014 allocation of €42 million. This increase will benefit over 50,000 children.

The funding for this year provides an additional €2.5 million to provide increases to DEIS schools, including supporting a further 51 newly designated DEIS schools. Funding is now available to all DEIS schools in the country to provide breakfast for all children and lunch for the majority of children. Breakfast is prioritised as it provides very positive outcomes in terms of children’s energy levels, punctuality and school attendance.

In addition, my Department has recently contacted 240 schools inviting them to join the scheme from September 2017. This includes 64 newly designated DEIS schools and 175 non-DEIS schools, which are schools which have a high level of children affected by disadvantage, selected in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills. This is the first time in many years that increases are being provided outside of DEIS. Almost 190 of those schools contacted have responded positively.

Schools are notified in writing of their allocation at the beginning of the academic year and are expected to manage within the funding provided. The issue of running out of funding should, therefore, not arise as schools are responsible for managing within their allocation and ensuring value for money. If any school finds itself in this position, it should contact my Department, and we will do our best to assist it. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I hear what the Minister is saying. As we stand here, many schools in the State have issued letters to parents informing them that, as of 1 June, they will not be in a position to provide lunches for the entire month. Other schools found out at the beginning of September last year that there would not be the same level of funding as the previous year. Those schools chose to forego school meals for the entire month of September.

Schools are being put in a very precarious situation. One school was in consultation with a supplier of school meals, who asked the school to leave the matter with him and said he would see what he could do to try to accommodate it for the month of June. The supplier came back to the school and said that due to the level of cuts, and given that similar schools were in similar situations, he was not a position to be able to put in place plans for the month of June.

The Minister said there were no cuts, but the reality is that schools are not in a position to be able to provide school meals for the entire month of June or were unable to do so in September last year. The funding is only 90% of what schools received the previous year. Cuts are being imposed on schools, but perhaps not to the overall budget that has been allocated. Children are the ones who have to bear the brunt of that.

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I really do not understand why that should be the case. The budget for 2016 was €42 million and was €39 million the year before. There was an increase on last year, and there will be a further increase this year.

Schools get 100% funding for school breakfasts for all of the children in a school and not just those from disadvantaged families. When it comes to lunches, 90% of the funding is provided. There has been no change to that figure; it has been 90% for a long time. A school is supposed to manage within that allocation, taking into account absences and so on. That is not a change.

There may be particular issues in particular schools, such as the number of children in a school having reduced which may mean the budget was reduced or, for some reason, schools have not been able to manage their allocation. The best thing that can be done in those circumstances is for those individual schools to make contact with my Department and we will see what we can do to assist them.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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In March, the Minister stated the school meals programme was a top priority for him, and I have to take him at his word. The reality, as I outlined, is that schools are being impacted. One school which I brought to the attention of the Department in February is now in the process of carrying out an audit into its spending.

Schools are operating within the same budget as previously. As I outlined, I have spoken to a number of schools which have operated within the same budgets over a number of years and have provided the same level of school meals, but because there was an increase in pupils this year they made inquiries to the Department to try to increase their allocation. At that stage, they were told they would not get an increase but, rather, that there would be a decrease in the amount of funding available.

The school to which I refer is now not in a position to be able to feed the children in the school. I have spoken to many other schools. One school was made aware of the nature of the cuts in September last year and chose to front-load the cuts and not feed children for the entire month of September. It is not the case that the same level of funding is being provided. Schools have operated within tight budgets over many years and it is only in the current school term that they have faced difficulties.

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Deputy is referring to individual cases and schools and I do not know which schools they are. It is impossible for me to comment on them without knowing that. In my constituency, which has a high level of disadvantage, this issue has not arisen in any of the schools.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Has the Minister spoken to them?

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I speak to them regularly, and they know to contact me if there is a problem. They are not behind the door in doing so if there is a problem, I can guarantee the Deputy. There have been some problems in some schools.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Suppliers are saying-----

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Among the problems we have had in some schools is, I regret to say, misappropriation. Money provided for schools for school meals was spent by principals on other things, and we have prosecuted a school principal for doing that.

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I can guarantee that is not the case.

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am not suggesting it is, but it may be a local school issue rather than a cutback.