Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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949. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of primary and post primary DEIS schools not being provided with a breakfast club; and the estimated cost of providing these schools with funding for a breakfast club. [30353/25]

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 Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that approximately 3,700 schools and 682,000 children will be eligible for school meals in 2025.

A budget of €300 million has been provided for the scheme in 2025.

The number of primary and post primary DEIS schools not receiving the breakfast club is 525.

The estimated cost of providing the breakfast club to all these schools is €11.5m.

Any extension of the school meals programme will need to be considered as part of the budgetary process.

I trust this clarifies the matter.