Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will provide details of her Department's investigation into the school meals scheme. [7629/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school meals programme gives funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly by the Department to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who are running their own school meals projects.

Under the School Meals Local Projects scheme, all schools or projects have to submit financial returns to the Department which detail the numbers and types of meals provided and the numbers of children benefiting. These returns are backed up by receipts for food costs incurred. School principals making returns have to certify the number of meals provided and the number of pupils benefiting. This is to ensure that all funding is used for the purpose for which it is intended. Schools may be asked to provide more detailed information or clarification if necessary.

The Department can confirm that it is currently investigating an allegation in relation to the operation of the School Meals programme. The Department cannot comment on individual cases of fraud or abuse until they have been successfully prosecuted through the courts.