Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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161. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools in Cork county that have made contact with his Department due to recent changes to the procurement system under the school meals scheme; if the Department is working with each of these schools to ensure that their school meals can continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50806/25]

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.

There are 79 schools to date where the supplier The Lunch Bag and Fresh Today - who have the same CEO - withdrew school meals service. There was a total of six schools from Cork. These schools were contacted by my officials and were given advice on how to continue with the School Meals Programme, including through the expedited procurement of an alternative supplier or the provision of cold lunches in the meantime.

The programme is designed so that meals are provided by contracted food business operators. This ensures responsibility for food safety and legislative compliance is placed on these professional providers and not on the schools themselves. This also 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. However, if a school decides to be a food business organisation doing so brings with it significant additional legal risks, insurance implications, costs, training, operational and employer responsibilities.

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.

No new legislation has been introduced or application of the law changed.

Any school that is currently under contract can continue to utilise their food business operator.

I trust this clarifies the matter.