Dutch cheese in our schools is ‘a bit Irish’, say ICMSA

ICMSA president Denis Drennan has said that reports that cheese supplied to children under the School Meals Programme, operated by the Department of Social Protection, is in some cases Dutch cheddar is “surreal”. 

He said it was nothing less than an “insult” to Ireland’s hard-pressed 18,000 dairy farmers.

Mr Drennan said that we are  now in a situation where the Irish dairy sector and promotional agencies are going around the world proclaiming the benefits of our unrivalled dairy products, while our own children – including the children of dairy farmers – are being given Dutch cheese by our own Government.

He said that the whole episode comes under the ‘You Couldn’t Make It Up’ category.

“We received a complaint from a member whose primary school-going child was given some Dutch cheddar under the auspices of the School Meals Programme, operated by the Department of Social Protection. 

“We obviously cannot give any identifying details beyond saying that the particular area concerned is one of the most traditional and famous milk-producing districts in the state and the fact that an Irish Government department could not – or would not – be bothered to source Irish cheese speaks volumes about the real attitude that hides behind all the lip-service and platitudes.

"It’s shocking, but strangely unsurprising, set against the prevailing attitude to Irish farming and food,”  said Mr Drennan.

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Noting that Irish dairy products were scientifically proven to involve lower emissions than their Dutch counterparts, Mr Drennan wondered what sustainability considerations were brought into play for these Government contracts.

“We are told on a literally daily basis that sustainability and environmental impact should be the paramount consideration in all our decision-making.

"What’s the point of us acting on that and being so guided if our own Government – the ones pushing through regulation after regulation compelling us to do just that – are going to buy less sustainably produced dairy to give to Irish school children. Farmers – and not just farmers – will find this absolutely bizarre and infuriating,” said Mr Drennan.  

Calling for the Government to immediately review the sourcing of food for the School Meals Programme, the ICMSA president said that he didn’t think it was an unreasonable ask for the Irish Government to source Irish produced food – where possible – to give to Irish school children as part of an Irish Government policy. 

“We would have thought that would be the minimum that Irish farmers had a right to expect – and, for that matter, Irish parents and their children,” concluded Mr Drennan.