Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will review correspondence regarding the decision to deny funding for a school breakfast club (details supplied); if he will address the concerns raised about the impact this decision may have on students' well-being and participation in education; if he will outline any alternative funding streams, grant opportunities, or forms they could complete to be reconsidered for support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58046/25]

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 Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme aims to reduce educational disadvantage. It is a Department of Education and Youth policy; that department is responsible for decisions regarding DEIS status. All DEIS secondary schools have access to the School Meals Programme.

The Department of Education and Youth has classified St Macartan’s College, Co Monaghan as a non-DEIS Secondary School and therefore it has no entitlement to a breakfast club funding under the School Meals Programme, nor has it ever received breakfast club funding.

Any expansion of the School Meals Programme to non-DEIS Secondary Schools would have to be considered in a Budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1163. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 663 of 14 October 2025, the reason the changes outlined in the procurement documents are prohibiting smaller schools from accessing school lunches (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58068/25]

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 Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme aims to reduce educational disadvantage. It is a Department of Education and Youth policy; that department is responsible for decisions regarding DEIS status. All DEIS secondary schools have access to the School Meals Programme.

The Department of Education and Youth has classified St Macartan’s College, Co Monaghan as a non-DEIS Secondary School and therefore it has no entitlement to a breakfast club funding under the School Meals Programme, nor has it ever received breakfast club funding.

Any expansion of the School Meals Programme to non-DEIS Secondary Schools would have to be considered in a Budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter.