Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1789. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if funding under food and basic material support for specific items has been withdrawn (details supplied); if so, the reason for the withdrawal of funding for these necessary items for young people and their education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41730/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Food and Basic Material Assistance programme in Ireland is a continuation of the EU Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) programme which ended in Ireland in 2022. This supports EU countries’ actions to provide material assistance (including food and clothing) to the most deprived.

The ESF+ Managing Authority is the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, (DFHERIS) they have overall responsibility for implementation of the Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) programme.

The specific objective of addressing material deprivation through food and basic material assistance through ESF+ funding is managed by my department on behalf of DFHERIS.

In 2017, my department ran a pilot project issuing School Stationery Kits consisting of items identified by parents who received FEAD food support. The School Stationery Kits contained copybooks, colouring pencils, biros, pencils, whiteboard markers, highlighters, maths sets, and mesh bags etc covering three age groups of children. These age groups were junior infants to second class, third class to sixth class and secondary school children.

Over the years the programme expanded from the pilot of 4,000 children to support a total of 50,000 children annually.

As part of Budget 2023, the Department of Education introduced free schoolbooks to primary and special school pupils in September 2023. This programme provided free schoolbooks, workbooks, copybooks and some stationery items to all students in primary and special schools. While the scheme ensures access to essential resources, schools retain some discretion in selecting specific books and resources to meet their students' needs.

This scheme was expanded further in subsequent budgets with all pupils in both primary and secondary schools being supported in 2025/2026 academic year.

In order to avoid duplication of supplies, and to make the maximum use of the available resources, my officials have been in contract with the relevant stakeholders regarding this issue and have received positive feedback in relation to the possibility making the school supplies funding available for food. This option is now under active consideration and I expect to be able to make a decision on this matter in the near future.

The ESF+ programme currently supports over 213,000 people with food. If any charity in the programme requires additional food support, they should contact my officials on smd@welfare.ie.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the deputy.