Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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435. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an application to the school meals programme for a school (details supplied) was not successful; if she will re-examine its case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36101/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I have grown the Hot School Meals Programme from a small pilot project to a nationwide programme now approved in 2,200 primary schools nationwide.

In April 2024, my Department contacted the remaining 1,000 primary schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, who have not yet joined the Hot School Meals scheme, asking them if they wished to submit an expression of interest in commencing the provision of Hot School Meals. I can confirm the school referred to has expressed an interest in joining the scheme.

My Department is currently collating the responses received under this year's Expression of Interest process with the aim of including more schools, subject to available funding in Budget 2025.