_____________________________________________
For Oral Answer on : 25/11/2021
Question Number(s): 28,89,102 Question Reference(s): 57546/21, 57476/21, 58009/21
Department: Social Protection
Asked by: David Stanton T.D., Colm Burke T.D., Jennifer Murnane O’Connor T.D.
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QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Social Protection the details of plans for the extension of the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
– David Stanton T.D.
For ORAL answer on Thursday, 25 November, 2021.
* To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the hot school meals programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
– Colm Burke T.D.
For ORAL answer on Thursday, 25 November, 2021.
* To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of the implementation of the hot school meal programme; her plans to extend the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
– Jennifer Murnane O’Connor T.D.
For ORAL answer on Thursday, 25 November, 2021.
REPLY
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €65.1 million has been provided for the scheme in 2021.
As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed primarily at schools with no onsite cooking facilities.
Budget 2021 provided an additional €5.5m to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option. Invitations for expressions of interest were issued to 705 primary schools (612 DEIS and 93 non-DEIS) in November 2020. A total of 281 (256 DEIS and 25 non-DEIS) expressions of interest were received in respect of 52,148 children.
The 35,000 places were allocated to each local authority area based on the number of children applied by local authority as a percentage of the total number. A minimum of one School for each Local Authority area was selected. Thereafter, a process of random selection was used for each area.
Budget 2022 is providing for the hot school meals to be extended from January 2022 to the 81 DEIS schools that submitted an expression of interest but were not selected in the extension to 35,000.
A list of the 81 schools is contained in the attached tabular statement.
I am committed to continuing to grow the hot school meals element of the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension announced as part of Budget 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement: The 81 DEIS Schools being invited to participate in the Hot Meals Scheme from January 2022
| Identifier | Organisation Name | County |
| 01356U | Kilnaleck Mixed National School | CAVAN |
| 03220F | Mercy Primary School | OFFALY |
| 03633H | Scoil Náisiúnta Bhantiarna Lourdes | WEXFORD |
| 03928D | Mullach National School | CLARE |
| 04809A | Scoil An Aingil Choimheadai | DONEGAL |
| 05348S | Tahilla Community National School | KERRY |
| 05513H | Castlepollard Mixed National School | WESTMEATH |
| 06959G | Clonroche National School | Wexford |
| 06998Q | St Patrick’s National School | Cavan |
| 08143P | S N Mhuire | CAVAN |
| 08221J | St Senans National School | Wexford |
| 09932B | Stanhope St Convent | DUBLIN 7 |
| 11470B | Slieveardagh National School | TIPPERARY |
| 11986N | Convent Of Mercy | WEXFORD |
| 13271F | Fairgreen National School | CAVAN |
| 13611D | Presentation Primary School | DUBLIN |
| 13696O | St Vincent’s Convent National School | CORK |
| 14704P | Murroe National School | Donegal |
| 14873P | Dookinella National School | MAYO |
| 15027E | S N Na Heaglaise | GALWAY |
| 15253N | St Patricks Girls National School | Dublin 4 |
| 15362S | S N Michil Naofa | TIPPERARY |
| 16054M | St Patricks National School | DONEGAL |
| 16108J | Scoil Naomh Treasa C | DONEGAL |
| 16202B | Castleblayney Convent National School | MONAGHAN |
| 16713D | Scoil Na Mbraithre | Limerick |
| 16836T | Naomh Bridhid | DONEGAL |
| 16880W | Scoil Naomh Colmchille | Donegal |
| 17105I | Muire Gan Smal C | Cork |
| 17356K | Muire Na Dea Coirle Inf | DUBLIN 12 |
| 17498H | S N Naomh Sheosamh | Tipperary |
| 17606H | Naomh Micheal N S | Westmeath |
| 17665A | S N Gleann Guail | TIPPERARY |
| 17737W | Our Lady Queen Of Peace School | Limerick |
| 17743R | Naomh Muire National School | WESTMEATH |
| 18086M | Dunfanaghy National School | Donegal |
| 18343G | S N Chaoimhghin | TIPPERARY |
| 18371L | Scoil Mhuire | DONEGAL |
| 18406E | S N Phroinsiais Naofa | OFFALY |
| 18414D | S N Gleann Beithe | KERRY |
| 18605K | Scoil Naomh Padraig Boys | DONEGAL |
| 18737E | Scoil Bhride | DONEGAL |
| 18786R | Scoil Iosagain | CORK |
| 18968A | St Malachys B N S | DUBLIN 5 |
| 19352M | Sc Nais Realta Na Mara | WEXFORD |
| 19438W | Scoil Colmcille Senior | Co. Dublin |
| 19515O | Sn Naomh Treasa | Dublin |
| 19577N | Scoil Iosa | DUBLIN 24 |
| 19582G | Tallaght C N S | Dublin |
| 19605P | Scoil Nais Mhuire Sois | Dublin 15 |
| 19642V | St Peter Apostle Sen National School | Dublin |
| 19662E | St Michaels National School | DUBLIN 10 |
| 19663G | St Raphaels National School | DUBLIN 10 |
| 19694R | Scoil Mhuire Sin | DUBLIN 15 |
| 19743E | St Bernadettes Junior National School | Dublin 22 |
| 19747M | Scoil Bhride National School | LAOIS |
| 19764M | Our Lady Of Wayside National School | DUBLIN 12 |
| 19785U | St Bernadettes Senior National School | Dublin 22 |
| 19809I | Abbeycarton National School | ROSCOMMON |
| 19830W | Corpus Christi National School | LIMERICK |
| 19840C | Holy Family School | Co. Dublin |
| 19909M | Gaelscoil Peig Sayers | CORK |
| 19929S | St Brigids Senior Girls | DUBLIN 11 |
| 19933J | Scoil Treasa Naofa | Dublin 8 |
| 19935N | Scoil Eoin | Dublin 5 |
| 19946S | Rutland National School | DUBLIN 1 |
| 19977G | Bandon Boys National School | Cork |
| 20036J | North Presentation Primary School | CORK |
| 20091R | St Peters National School | DUBLIN |
| 20124G | St Marys National School | LONGFORD |
| 20163Q | S N Eoin Baiste | LOUTH |
| 20173T | St Annes Primary School | DUBLIN 24 |
| 20219R | St Pauls B N S | WATERFORD |
| 20220C | Gaelscoil Ui Earcain | Dublin |
| 20275E | Scoil Íosa | MAYO |
| 20295K | Carlow Educate Together National School | CARLOW |
| 20303G | Lucan East Educate Together National School | DUBLIN |
| 20389T | Scoil Maria Assumpta | Cork |
| 20405O | St Mary’s National School | Limerick |
| 20467N | St Ailbe’s National School | Tipperary |
| 20468P | St Dominic’s National School | Dublin |