Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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1371. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a school (details supplied) will be given permission to go to tender for the hot school lunch programme for which it has been approved. [45750/25]

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.

The Hot School Meals began as a pilot project in 2019 with some 30 schools. Since then it has expanded annually. There are now 3,200 schools, with 550,000 children eligible for school meals.

The Department of Social Protection established an interdepartmental working group, which includes the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Youth, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, to oversee and make recommendations on the operation of the School Meals Programme.

The Department of Education with the support of the Interdepartmental Working Group on School Meals have finalised the procurement documentation for the Hot School Meals Programme and this is available to schools since 15 August 2025. All schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, have been notified of this by email.

The documents have been updated to support schools and strengthen the procurement process, ensuring that contractual arrangements comply with food safety legislation, planning, building regulations, and health and safety requirements and the use of which will be a mandatory requirement for all schools for participation in the programme.