Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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716. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding allocated to schools (details supplied); the funding that was used; the area in which unused funds will be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39709/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. As part of Budget 2017, the funding for the scheme was substantially increased this year by an additional €5.5 million (13% over the previous year’s allocation) which will benefit over 50,000 additional children from September 2017 bringing the total number of schools in the scheme to some 1,700 and the number of children supported to up to 250,000.

Budget 2017 funding provides for the inclusion in the scheme, from September 2017, of up to 240 new schools supporting 47,000 children. This includes 65 newly designated DEIS schools and 174 non-DEIS schools 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.

In addition, breakfast is available to all children attending DEIS schools and lunch is provided for the majority of children in these schools.

Applications for the scheme for the current school year are being received and processed. It is expected that the full funding available under the scheme will be allocated over the coming weeks.