Written answers
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
School Meals Programme
Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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660. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to address an issue over the hot lunch programme affecting a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2480/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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 Department has engaged with a number of schools that have been unable to secure a hot meals supplier due to their location, facilities or space. These schools have been advised to contact local caterers or supermarkets or try to source a local supplier that could provide a lunch with drink as an alternative to a hot meal. In such circumstances, many of these schools have been able to provide school meals to their pupils.
If the school referred to by the Deputy has any questions in relation to this matter, they can contact officials of my Department at school.meals@welfare.ie. They will advise them of the meal options available to them and assist with any queries they may have.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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661. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures he will take to address the exclusion of coeliac children from hot school meals, to ensure their dietary needs are met in a fair and equitable manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2481/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.
In 2023, my Department published an independent evidence-based Evaluation of the School Meals Programme which sets out the positive impact the Programme is having in terms of children’s education and wellbeing.
In Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals Scheme will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that approximately 3,200 schools and 550,000 children will be eligible for hot school meals in 2025.
A specific standard was set for School Meals under the Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. These were based on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Food Based Dietary Recommendations for healthy eating by a technical working group led by:
- the Health and Wellbeing Programme of the Department of Health
- Safefood and
- the Healthy Eating and Active Living Programme in the Health Service Executive.
Under the Hot School Meals Scheme, parents can choose food for their child every week from an approved menu which contains a range of options that are offered by the school’s supplier in accordance with Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. The Department reviews the options to ensure nutrition value.
The menu must also accommodate those with food intolerances and allergies, including those with Coeliac disease. In addition, the supplier is required to check these details with the school upon award of the contract, in order to accommodate those children. The supplier must also provide clearly visible menu boards with an allergens list.
In December 2024 this Department established an interdepartmental working group, which includes the Department of Health, the Department Education and the Department of Children, Equality and Disability, to oversee and make recommendations on the operation of the scheme, including in relation to nutrition inspection and evaluation.
Under the Programme for Government the Department will continue to expand and improve the Hot School Meals Scheme and ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, reduce food waste and utilise recyclable packaging.
On any occasion, where there may be any concerns about the options available for children with Coeliac disease in any specific school, they should be brought to my Department’s attention, and it will be followed up accordingly.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
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