Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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110. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of schools enrolled in the school meals scheme 2025; when he expects to receive a report on the nutritional standards of the hot school meals as part of the review currently being undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61988/25]

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 Nutritional Standards for School Meals have been in place since its inception and were developed by a technical Nutrition Subgroups comprised of:

• Dieticians from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

Nutritional standards are a priority for me and I have directed that a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards be undertaken. This is being conducted by a dietician in coordination with the Interdepartmental Group on School Meals. I have asked for a report on the nutritional standards to be submitted to me by the end of this year. In the meantime, food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, was removed from the school menu from September 2025. Up to now this food had been permitted, as an option, once a week at most and only when selected by the child's parents.

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 3,200 schools and 550,000 children will be eligible for hot school meals in 2025 with a budget of €300 million.

The rollout of the Hot School Meals Scheme has been on a phased basis since the pilot programme was launch in 2019 with 37 schools. In April 2024 908 schools became eligible to join the programme. Of those 97% of Schools availed of the Hot School Meals Scheme with 1.4 % opting for the cold lunch option. Once schools become eligible to join the programme, they must conduct procurement to obtain a school meals provider and also set up a separate bank accounts for school meals funds. Both of these can take several weeks to complete.

The total number of schools and children benefitting from the Hot School Meals Programme in the last academic year 2024/2025 was 2,064 schools and 332,593 pupils.

I trust this clarifies the matter.