Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to list every post-primary school that applied for participation in the hot school meals or school meals scheme and that was refused or deemed ineligible since 2022, with reasons; and to explain the evidence base for excluding post-primary pupils when England, Finland and the United States apply standards or programmes across older cohorts. [49464/25]

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 Scheme will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that approximately 3,700 schools and organisations and 682,000 children will be eligible for the School Meals Programme from September 2025.

Funding under the school meals programme can be provided for breakfast, snack, cold lunch, dinner, hot school meals and afterschool clubs and is based on a maximum rate per child per day, depending on the type of meal being provided.

DEIS Secondary Schools qualify for the breakfast/snack, cold lunch or dinner option. Under the Programme for Government, I plan to commence the rollout of Hot School Meals to secondary schools over the lifetime of this Government. However my immediate priority is to complete the rollout at primary school level.

All primary schools now have an entitlement for Hot School Meals and under the programme for Government, I will commence the rollout of Hot School Meals to all secondary schools over the lifetime of this government. This is comparable to the Finland model where school meals is free to all primary and secondary schools. England operate a different model which is free for the first three years in infant schools then entitlement is based on family income. In the United States children may be determined “categorically eligible” for free meals through participation in certain Federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster child.

School meals is crucial in the context of the EU Child Guarantee, an initiative designed to ensure that children at risk of poverty or social exclusion have access to a set of key services. Ensuring that all children have access to these meals is integral to fulfilling the objectives of the EU Child guarantee to which Ireland has signed up.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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288. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide the full text of any memorandum of understanding or governance agreement with the Department of Social Protection and the HSE regarding school-meal delivery on school premises, including responsibilities for safeguarding, allergens, and food-safety inspections; and if none exists, the reason for the governance gap. [49465/25]

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 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. This is a standing group which will make recommendations on matters within its remits on an ongoing basis.

In addition, my department participates in the Department of Health’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan Implementation Group. This provides strategic oversight, coordination, and direction for cross-Departmental and cross-sectoral actions in this area.

My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school. The primary relationship is between the school and supplier. It is the responsibility of each school board to select a supplier to provide the meals in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenderer’s responsibilities and obligations, including in relation to compliance with Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals.

The programme is designed so that meals are provided by contracted food business operators, with the responsibility for food safety and compliance with relevant legislative obligations placed on these professional providers and not on the schools themselves. This ensures children benefit from a reliable, high-quality service, while schools are protected from having to take on responsibilities more appropriate to the providers, who will have the necessary expertise and experience in food provision.

The recent refinements to the procurement system, which underpins the programme, strengthens it by ensuring consistent standards across all participating schools. They also reflect the combined input of several Government Departments and State agencies, ensuring that schools and providers operate safely and compliantly across areas such as food safety, health and safety, fire safety, and building regulations.

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 onsite annually by that department. In total, 121 desk assessments were carried out in 2024. This represents a 20% total check on schools. For 2025, 400 schools will be inspected and the desk assessments will be increased to circa 250 cases as more schools become eligible to join the programme. Ongoing audits can increase or decrease based on risk assessments levels.

These inspections assist this department in ensuring standards are being met in relation to different areas of the School Meals Programme.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland deals with enforcement procedures in instances of non-compliance with food law by any food business operator in Ireland.

I trust this clarifies the matter.