Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

649. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the maximum rate awarded per child per day for the school meals scheme 2024/25; the funding rates for hot meal lunches and the funding rates for cold meal lunches for both primary schools and secondary schools; her views on whether the funding per child per day is adequate to provide wholesome lunches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44232/24]

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

The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

My priority as Minister was the roll out of Hot School Meals to all children in primary schools. As part of this significant expansion plan, it was as announced in the recent Budget that Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children.

All schools in receipt of school meals funding must sign and meet Service Level Agreements outlining their responsibilities under headings such as procurement and nutritional standards.

In 2023, I published an independent evaluation of the Programme which sets out the positive impact it is having in terms of children’s education and wellbeing. This evaluation is evidence-based and sets out a series of recommendations for expanding the Programme into the future. There is an overwhelming consensus among all participants in the evaluation that the Programme is effective, and it indicates strong support for extending the Programme.

The report also recommended an interim increase in funding rates for all meal options. In response, I secured government approval for the following rate increases for the various meal options provided on the School Meals Programme effective from 1st January 2023:

• Breakfast - increase from €0.60 to €0.75 (15c increase).
• Cold Lunch - increase from €1.40 to €1.70 (30c increase).
• Dinner - increase from €1.90 to €2.50 (60c increase).
• Hot School Meal - increase from €2.90 to €3.20 (30c increase).

I trust this clarifies the matter.