Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader invite the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to come to the House for a discussion on the school meals programme and after-school care services? The Taoiseach talks regularly and aptly about the need to create a republic of opportunity. No schemes are more beneficial to children and creating a level playing pitch for young people than the school meals programme and homework clubs, the after-school support service. These interventions support children who are the victims of various levels of poverty and lack of opportunity, perhaps where overcrowding can prevent a child from doing his or her homework and in situations where diet is inadequate or meals are not provided. Teachers and people who understand education say the main requisites for academic success are that children sleep properly and food and support be provided after school. For that reason there should be a review. This year an extra €1.7 million was provided and 245 new schools were included, bringing the number of children benefiting from the programme to 247,000 nationally. That is good, but there is more potential when we have more resources. Rather than directly increasing the universal payment, we should consider increasing and widening the extent of the school meals programme and, second, seek to provide support for homework clubs after school. I realise there are subsidised after-school care places for a certain cohort of the population. We must examine how that support service is working and consider its expansion. I wish to see every school in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan and throughout the country benefiting from an enhanced programme.