Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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700. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of rural schools availing of the school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42342/17]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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701. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if all rural DEIS schools avail of the school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42344/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 700 and 701 together.

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 by an additional €5.5 million 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.

The scheme is available to all DEIS schools and support can be provided towards breakfast for all children and lunch for the majority of children. Of the total 900 DEIS schools, some 850 (95%) are participating in the scheme.

The Department of Education and Skills does not have a designation of rural or urban for all DEIS schools, other than for primary schools. Some 320 of the total 360 rural DEIS primary schools (89%) are participating in the scheme.

Schools must reapply for funding under the scheme in respect of each school year and my Department is continuing to receive applications, which may further increase the number of DEIS schools participating.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.