Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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590. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a school (details supplied), which received DEIS status in 2022, has not yet been approved to provide hot meals to its students; the steps her Department will take to ensure that the school can access the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66158/25]

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.

I can confirm that Our lady Mercy School, Beaumont have made an application for the School Meals Programme and this was received on the 3rd October 2025. We have requested further information on the school's application.

My Department have been in touch with the school and they have confirmed they will send in the information required and when it is received a decision will be made.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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591. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an application from a college (details supplied) for funding towards a breakfast club for the current academic year was denied; if this decision will be revisited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66169/25]

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, including breakfast clubs, to non-DEIS Secondary Schools would have to be considered in a wider policy and Budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter.