Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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314. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if they will instruct his Department to reevaluate partnerships with private companies supplying food as part of the hot school meal programme to ensure that nutritional needs of the students are being met and waste kept to a minimum. [10358/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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A specific standard was set for School Meals under the Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. A technical Nutrition Sub Group comprised of Dietitians from the following organisations was involved in developing these standards:

• The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

My department has an oversight role in relation to the School Meals Programme and conducts regular inspections of schools. Under the existing audit process, some 400 schools are inspected annually by my department.In addition, my department participates in the Department of Health’s Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group. This provides strategic oversight, coordination, and direction for cross-Departmental and cross-sectoral actions in this area.My department has also 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 nutrition inspection and evaluation.

In terms of packaging and waste, under tender documentation, and as stipulated by the Schools Procurement’s Unit, the school meal supplier is responsible for operating policies which progressively address environmental considerations such as waste and packaging. Depending on the school size and school meal requirements, the school will decide on the method and logistics that best meets their needs in line with environmental standards. In addition, under tender documentation requirements, the school is committed to the principles of environmental management in its activities, and it encourages the implementation of sustainability principles in its procurement practices. The supplier should make all reasonable efforts to minimise adverse environmental impact in the methods of services delivery and in materials used.

Under the Programme for Government, I will continue to expand and improve the Free Hot School Meals programme and ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, the reduction of food waste and the use of recyclable packaging.

I trust this clarifies the matter.