Limerick primary schools urged to express interest in School Meal Programme
THOUSANDS of Limerick primary school children should soon receive hot school meals according to a new government programme, and a Limerick senator has urged the schools to express their interest to the Department of Social Protection.
With about 139 both DEIS and non-DEIS primary schools in Limerick county, these schools will soon reap the benefits of the Hot School Meals Programme as Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced landmark plans for its roll-out to every Primary School in Ireland.
Limerick-based Senator, Maria Byrne has urged Limerick schools to take part in the initiative, by saying,"the Department will soon invite expressions of interest for remaining schools who wish to participate in the hot school meals programme and I would urge Limerick schools to engage in that process."
It has been announced that from September, Hot School Meals are to be extended nationwide to all DEIS primary schools, meanwhile, a "phased roll-out" to all non-DEIS Primary Schools will begin in 2024.
The current School Meals Programme was set up in 2003, to provide regular, nutritious meals to children who were unable to take full advantage of the education provided to them. Priority for funding under the scheme is given to DEIS schools, whose student population is most in danger of poverty and social exclusion.
An increase in the meal rates has also been announced by Minister Humphreys.
From January 1 2023 this year, these schools saw an increase in the daily rate of their meals. Breakfast was increased from €0.60 to €0.75 (15c increase), cold lunch was increased from €1.40 to €1.70 (30c increase), dinner increased from €1.90 to €2.50 (60c increase), and a hot school meal increased from €2.90 to €3.20 (30c increase).
Announcing the rates increase, the Minister said, "the contribution of the suppliers to the success of the School Meals Programme has been significant."
The Minister published an independent evaluation of the current School Meals Programme.
This evaluation concluded that participants in the programmes believed it is effective, and it also found a high level of evidence that the provision of school meals resulted in improvements in attendance in school.
In turn, the evidence collected suggested that providing children with food in school makes a difference to families, both in terms of money saved, and for some families, in time saved in food preparation.
"This evaluation is evidence-based and sets out a series of recommendations for expanding the School Meals Programme into the future. The overarching recommendation is that every child should get one free hot meal," said Minister Humphreys.
"My ambition is that a child born in Ireland today will be guaranteed access to a Hot Meal by the time they start school," she added.