Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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397. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide a report of the inspections which took place in 2024 of schools participating in the hot school meals programme; and to provide a representative sample of lunches provided, with an ingredient and preparation method breakdown. [3999/25]

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 an oversight role in relation to the School Meals Programme and conducts regular inspections of schools which includes reviewing the menu. Under the existing audit process, some 400 schools are inspected annually by my department. These inspections assist my department in ensuring standards are being met in relation to different areas of the School Meals Programme. The final reports are for oversight and to assist in improving the School Meals Programme. The reports are for internal use in my department.

All schools must submit a sample menu with their application for the School Meals Programme. Funding will not be provided for food that does not comply with these standards. All participating schools must also submit to my department a signed Service Level Agreement which clearly sets out the school’s responsibilities and obligations in terms of compliance with nutritional standards.

Under EU and national food law, the meals provided to students under the Hot School Meals Programme are categorised as ‘non-prepacked’ foods as these are foods prepacked for direct sale (Article 44, FIC Regulation). In Ireland, the only mandatory food information that a Food Business Operator (the Service Provider in this case) is obliged to provide for ‘non-prepacked’ food intended for the final consumer is the allergen declaration which they provide.

Suppliers are not required to provide the department with details of the preparation method of the meals but are required to comply with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines and with Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals.

Suppliers range from small local suppliers to regional and national suppliers. The menus offered varies between suppliers. Sample items on Hot School Meals menus include: pasta bolognese, sweet and sour chicken, chicken curry, lasagne, breaded chicken mash and vegetables, vegetable noodles, vegetable rice, lentil soup with brown bread/roll, chickpea rice, and pesto pasta.

I trust this clarifies the matter.