Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I firmly believe the school meals programme, particularly hot school meals, is extraordinarily important for students' general nutrition, personal development, general well-being and also for learning. While it is an intervention to provide for children in more vulnerable situations insofar as the country can afford it, it should be a priority to extend that programme. It is not necessarily only the students in the traditional disadvantaged schools that need this programme. There can be a real need for it elsewhere.

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection took an initiative this year to provide hot school meals in 36 schools that did not have them, with one third of those being DEIS or disadvantaged schools. This will take in 7,200 children. It will cost €1 million this year and €2.5 million in a full year. That is in addition to €57.6 million spent on school meals in general in a given year. I believe that figure should be expanded. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to the House to discuss how the programme could be increased incrementally every year to capture as many schools as possible. As a former teacher and from general observation, I firmly believe it is one of the greatest possible interventions that can be made for young children. It is a direct measure. It is not always by cash payments that we can achieve equality, fairness and societal development.