Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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154. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to expand the school hot meals programme in 2025; the work in hand for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39459/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As announced in Budget 2025, the Hot School Meals Scheme will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025. This announcement now means that in total, 3,200 schools and 550,000 children are now eligible for the Hot School Meals Scheme in 2025. The expansion of the Hot School Meals Scheme will increase the School Meals budget by just over €72m to an overall budget of €288m.

I am very proud to have grown the Hot School Meals Programme from a small pilot project of just 30 schools to universal provision in all primary schools in 2025.