Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have two examples to show her why she should be proud of it. Last week, I was in Geneva for an Inter-Parliamentary Union conference with Senator Craughwell and Deputy Denis Naughten. There was a side debate, which was led by the Irish Parliament and the Tanzanian Parliament, about the importance of hot school meals and why they should be introduced in other countries. It was well attended but what was very interesting was that other countries could not get over that we are doing this for every single child in the country. They asked why it was not means-tested and why it was not only a certain number of people who benefited. We said that that could be done but it would discriminate against different kids from different backgrounds. We have developed a scheme where every kid is treated the same and gets a hot school meal, regardless of background, where they grew up and family and other circumstances. Every child in a school sees it in the exact same way. It was very interesting because there was an Australian MP present. Sometimes people say Australia is a great country and talk about the things it does. The Australian MPs could not get over that we have this scheme and how we are able to deliver it. They are going back to Australia saying they need to do what is being delivered by the Minister in this country.

On a lighter note on the hot school meals subject, I left Clonmel early this morning because I was coming up to Skerries and I could not drop Jamie to school or Daniel to the crèche. I was only gone about a half an hour when I got a phone call from my wife saying that Jamie wanted to know what he was having for dinner today. I had to go on to the system to find out what he was having and it was chicken curry. He got excited but he wanted to see a picture, so I had to screenshot the picture and send it back to Laura. He then had to look at the dinner he was getting and when he saw it was chicken curry, and there was chicken and rice and stuff in it, he was all excited.

It is the simple things that make a big difference. That initiative was only brought into the school this year and when talking to the principal and teachers I hear of the impact it has had on kids of all social backgrounds with regard to learning. It makes a big difference. We have done so many things in early years childcare by reducing costs but in education and schools, the hot school meals scheme is a huge change for kids and a real development. As the Minister said on RTÉ on Sunday, she can be very proud that children in every school in this country, regardless of where they are from, who their parents are and where they live, can get a hot school meal. It is something to be very proud of.

I will end on that note and make way for Senator Dolan. I welcome the many payments that have been given out. It would take an hour and a half to go through all of them individually. Once again, this is a budget where the Government has been in a position, because of a well-managed economy, to make decisions to help people who need that help at a critical time. That is to be commended.