Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

47. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the up to date position regarding the roll out of hot school meals in schools in Cork; the number of new schools that are included in the most recent addition of schools; if she will furnish a list of all schools in Cork city and county availing of the scheme; the number of schools that remain outside the programme; the number that have expressed an interest in the programme, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37656/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

Currently there are 197 primary schools in Cork eligible for Hot School Meals. A list of the schools is contained in the attached Tabular Statement.

In April 2024, my Department contacted the remaining 1,000 primary schools, 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. Out of these 1,000 schools, 103 schools in Cork submitted an expression of interest.

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.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement - Schools in County Cork eligible for Hot School Meals in 2023 - 2024