Written Answers Nos. 537-556
537. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has any plans to increase the housing adaptation grants scheme given the increase in construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33077/26]
View answerMy Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, is funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.
My Department carried out a review of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme in 2024, including a review of the Means Test, and the Report on the Review is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/report-on-the-review-of-the-housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-people-with-a-disability/.
The enhanced scheme includes the introduction of additional income deductions for housing, residential and home care costs incurred. In addition, a number of payments from the Department of Social Protection are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. These disregards are designed to ensure that the provision of financial assistance for living costs or care do not disadvantage an individual applying for grant assistance under the scheme.
The Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 612 of 2024), which came into effect on 1 December 2024, provide the legal basis for the introduction of the recommendations set out in the review. The key changes include an increase in the grant limits of over 30% and the income thresholds by 25% whilst also revising the means test. The legislation also adjusts the burden sharing for local authorities by reducing the local authority funding contribution to 15% (from the previous 20%).
Local authorities receive an overall allocation, with the responsibility for the apportionment between the three schemes being a matter for each authority given their knowledge of local need. Details of the allocations and drawdown for the last five years are available on my Department's website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/
Budget 2026 provides an increase of €30 million for the scheme, with almost €130 million in Exchequer funding available for the Scheme, or over €152 million when accounting for the local authority contribution delivering the continued year-on-year increases in funding for the grant scheme since 2014. This significant increase in funding will support the payment of some 17,000 grant claims.
538. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the nationality breakdown of adults recorded in emergency accommodation in each month from January 2024 to the most recent date available, including a breakdown by (i) Irish citizens, (ii) EU/EEA citizens, and (iii) non-EU nationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33244/26]
View answer539. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether data is collected, either by his Department or by local authorities, on the immigration or legal status of persons in emergency accommodation, including categories such as (i) international protection applicants, (ii) beneficiaries of temporary protection, (iii) refugees with status, (iv) EU/EEA nationals, and (v) Irish citizens; and if so, to provide the most recent available breakdown; and if not, the reason such data is not collected. [33245/26]
View answer540. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons in emergency accommodation who are also in the international protection system, including those awaiting a decision on their application, in each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33246/26]
View answer541. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the gender breakdown of adults in emergency accommodation, including male, female and any other recorded categories, for each of the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33247/26]
View answer542. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the age profile of persons in emergency accommodation, including breakdowns by age cohorts (for example 18–24, 25–44, 45–64, 65+), for the most recent period available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33248/26]
View answer543. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of persons in emergency accommodation by household type, including single adults, couples, and families with children, and the proportion of each category accounted for by Irish citizens and non-Irish nationals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33249/26]
View answer545. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the data collection framework used to compile official homelessness statistics, including whether standardised data fields exist across local authorities for nationality, immigration status, and household composition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33251/26]
View answer546. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether nationality data is collected in respect of children in emergency accommodation; if not, the reason for this omission; and whether there are plans to introduce such data collection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33252/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 545 and 546 together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level.
Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. Decisions on the assessment of households for homeless services, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter for the local authority concerned.
The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (DJHAM) are the lead Department with responsibility for the provision of accommodation and related supports for persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. The responsibility for providing accommodation to Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection does not rest with my Department; this responsibility rests with DJHAM.
The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS), a division of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, is responsible for the provision of accommodation and related services to people in the International Protection (asylum) process. My Department has no role in this regard.
Persons granted international protection status (refugee status or subsidiary protection status) can access State provided supports and services, including homeless services, on the same basis as Irish nationals.
My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in homeless emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded homeless emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by local authorities.
PASS is an active case and bed management and client support system and is administrated by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). PASS is an online, shared system utilised by the local authorities and other contracted service providers to manage bookings in State-funded homeless emergency accommodation, operated and overseen by the local authorities. My Department has no function in the operation of the PASS system.
The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. The most recently published data is in respect of March 2026. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data, and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation's open data portal: https://data.gov.ie/.
The report also includes the number of adults in emergency accommodation by gender and age band. The gender information is broken down by male and female, and the adult age information is broken down by the following age bands: 18-24, 24-44, 45-64 and 65+.
Since April 2022 my Department has gathered information from local authorities on citizenship of adults accessing emergency accommodation. The citizenship information is broken down by Irish, EEA/UK and Non-EEA and is available on a regional basis at the link above. The monthly reports do not provide a breakdown by nationality of children under 18 in homeless emergency accommodation.
544. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons in emergency accommodation for (i) less than 6 months, (ii) 6–12 months, (iii) 1–2 years, and (iv) more than 2 years, and whether such data is disaggregated by nationality or immigration status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33250/26]
View answer551. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the recorded outcomes for persons exiting emergency accommodation, including transition to social housing, private rental, return to family accommodation or other outcomes; and whether such outcomes are analysed by household type or nationality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33268/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 551 together.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level.
My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).
The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. The most recently published data is in respect of March 2026. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation's open data portal [https://data.gov.ie/].
My Department also publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly performance reports include details of the numbers of individuals prevented from entering emergency accommodation, and those exiting emergency accommodation into tenancies and the duration of stay in emergency accommodation. The quarterly progress report summarises the data submitted to the Department.
The duration of stay data of single and family households is reported as six-monthly bands ranging from less than six months to more than 24 months. These bands refer to consecutive stays in emergency accommodation and are based on a point-in-time count, informed by emergency accommodation usage on the last night in the quarter.
Exit data for single and family households is reported by tenancy type including exits to local authority lettings, Approved Housing Body (AHB) lettings, long-term supported accommodation and private rented (including HAP and RAS). The individual regional Performance reports also include details of other departures of individuals from homeless emergency accommodation including return to family and friends and departure to medical facilities.
Progress and Performance Reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/.
547. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department engages with the Department of Justice, Home Affair and Migration, to align data on homelessness and international protection applicants, including shared datasets or reporting mechanisms; and if so, to outline the structure of that coordination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33253/26]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.
My Department engages with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in relation to homelessness and migration. My Department and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration have been meeting bilaterally in relation to addressing the risk of homelessness for those leaving Direct Provision with status. As part of this engagement, my Department has issued an updated Guidance Note for local authority practitioners in relation to the social housing application process. There has also been a focus on the potential to share data between relevant areas of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (IPAS, Family Reunification, and Immigration Units) and local authorities to allow information to be shared directly in relation to households in Direct Provision with status (International Protection or Subsidiary Protection). Such data sharing is aimed at preventing households in Direct Provision from becoming homeless.
In addition, the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC), which I chair, is a cross-governmental and inter-agency oversight group with membership drawn from key Departments, agencies and stakeholders, including representatives from the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).
The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across Government, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness. Beyond this, the Committee also has a role in addressing emerging homeless-related issues and in developing further responses. Full membership as well as previous minutes of meetings of NHAC are published on my Department's website and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/national-homeless-action-committee/.
548. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether there is variation between local authorities in the application of eligibility criteria, access thresholds, or data collection practices in respect of emergency accommodation; whether any national standardisation framework is in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33265/26]
View answerMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.
Under the Housing Act 1988, it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard. When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household. Decisions on the assessment of households for homeless services, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter for the local authority concerned.
Operational issues in the day to day delivery of services, including provision of emergency accommodation provided through a local authority, are a matter for the relevant local authority. The Minister is prevented from intervening in relation to the procedures followed, or decisions made, by local authorities in the provision of housing support in relation to any individual.
My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded homeless emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by local authorities. PASS is an active case and bed management and client support system and is administrated by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE).
The most recently published data is in respect of March 2026. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/ and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation's open data portal https://data.gov.ie/.
549. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department maintains a forward projection or demand model for emergency accommodation needs; if so, the assumptions underpinning that model, including population growth and migration-related factors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33266/26]
View answerMy Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities.
A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the type and number of emergency accommodation services and related services, and the funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
It is a matter for the Management Group to bring forward proposals to my Department that meet the needs of homeless individuals in their administrative area and the funding requirements will be considered in this context. Each region submits an annual expenditure programme to my Department and my Department approves a funding allocation. My Department regularly engages with local authorities in relation to the demand for, and funding requirements of, homeless services and local authorities can submit new proposals to meet the demand for services at any stage during the year.
In relation to forward projection or demand models, my Department has a number of measures in place to support the monitoring of trends, including those that are migration-related and to anticipate the future demand for homelessness accommodation.
My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis that reports on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities. These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question.
Since April 2022, my Department has gathered information from local authorities on citizenship of adults accessing emergency accommodation. The citizenship information is broken down by Irish, EEA/UK and Non-EEA and is available on a regional basis at the link above.
My Department also publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. The quarterly performance reports provide regional data on the reasons for presentation of single and family households that presented and entered emergency accommodation as well as regional data on single and family household exits from emergency accommodation to a secure tenancy.
The monthly homelessness reports and the quarterly performance reports are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/.
The Department carefully monitors the data contained in the reports to identify trends and drivers of homelessness and uses this information to support informed policies and measures to address current and emerging needs.
In addition, the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC), which I chair, is a cross-governmental and inter-agency oversight group with membership drawn from key Departments, agencies and stakeholders, including representatives from the International Protection Accommodation Services.
The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across government, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness. Beyond this, the committee also has a role in addressing emerging homeless-related issues and in developing further responses. Full membership as well as previous minutes of meetings of NHAC are published on my Department's website and can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/national-homeless-action-committee/.
550. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of emergency accommodation provision by type, including hotels, bed and breakfast accommodation, family hubs and other facilities; the proportion of total capacity each represents; and whether any policy exists to reduce reliance on higher-cost accommodation types; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33267/26]
View answerMy Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes for which costs may be incurred by housing authorities in respect of the provision of homeless accommodation and related services.
While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis, with nine administrative regions in place. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. It is a matter for the management group of the consultative forum, in the first instance, to determine the type and range of homeless services including emergency accommodation, operational matters such as the proportion of total capacity each represents, and the funding required to address homelessness in each region.
My Department does not hold all the information requested. My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).
The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. This report provides a breakdown of the number of adults in emergency accommodation per accommodation type. The most recently published data is in respect of March 2026. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/ and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation's open data portal https://data.gov.ie/.
Financial reports from each of the homeless regions, setting out expenditure on homeless accommodation and related services including the types of homeless services are published on my Department's website at the following link; www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
My Department does not procure or tender for emergency accommodation services directly. The Department contributes to the overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of services. Housing authorities are working hard to negotiate value for money in proposals for emergency accommodation and are seeking to enter into contractual arrangements that offer value for money, where feasible.
Budget 2026 provides a total allocation of €563.5m to address homelessness. This includes €50 million in capital funding which will allow local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies to invest in the construction or acquisition of properties suitable for use as accommodation for homelessness purposes.
552. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a whole-of-government strategy exists linking housing policy with migration and population planning; if so, to outline the governance structure underpinning that coordination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33269/26]
View answerThe National Planning Framework (NPF) is the whole-of-Government strategy for strategic planning and sustainable development of our urban and rural areas to 2040, with the core objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable ‘compact growth’ approach to the form and pattern of future development. The revision process was finalised and approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025.
As part of the broader body of work undertaken to inform the First Revision to the NPF, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) was engaged to provide updated population projections to 2040, based on demographic and econometric modelling, and having regard to the results of Census 2022 and other factors with potential to influence fertility, mortality and migration trends. Under the baseline scenario, the research projects that the population of the State will increase to approximately 5.7 million people by 2030 and 6.1 million by 2040. This projection forms the central core trajectory of projected population growth and underpins the strategy set out in the First Revision to the NPF.
The Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, seeks to significantly accelerate delivery of new homes by focusing on activating land and creating the optimal environment to encourage housing activity. This includes regulatory reform, tax incentives and the largest ever capital investment in the history of the State, with €275 billion invested in infrastructure over ten years through the National Development Plan. Delivering Homes, Building Communities sets a target of at least 300,000 homes to be delivered over its lifetime. The Government’s target is based on a realistic, broad assessment of the housing system, including factors such as migration.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how Government intends to meet the demands and the opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is currently working collaboratively with a wide range of other Government departments, led by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, to develop this strategy with the aim to publish Ireland’s first overarching whole-of-government National Migration and Integration Strategy later this year.
553. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a detailed breakdown of all gifts received in his capacity as Minister; the nature of these gifts and potential monetary value; the procedures followed in accepting gifts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33384/26]
View answerThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
554. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider extending the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance scheme to include people on short-term payment schemes such as jobseekers benefit.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31810/26]
View answerThe criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all relevant qualifying criteria, this ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
Short-term benefit payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness benefit and Maternity Benefit are not qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance. The reason for this is that Fuel Allowance is intended as a support for households with a long-term dependence on welfare payments. The schemes just mentioned are short-term payments for those who suffer a short period of interruption to their employment. These payments are not means-tested; the recipients still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to the workforce.
The provision of any additional supports such as extending the Fuel Allowance payment to this cohort would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
While the criteria for Fuel Allowance is designed to ensure that those who require the support the most receive it, there will always be exceptional cases. It is for this reason that my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
555. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection when he plans to compile and publish a pre-approved list of suppliers for schools participating in the Hot School Meals Programme (details supplied); if he will ensure that, in developing these county-based supplier lists, priority is given to local suppliers using locally sourced produce, in order to support sustainable food systems, reduce food miles and strengthen local economies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31903/26]
View answerThe 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.
My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school. All schools are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules.
The Schools Procurement Unit under the Department of Education and Youth, provides guidance to schools for all procurement matters including the School Meals Programme.
There are currently some 300 suppliers in the School Meals Programme, with the majority of these supplying one to three local schools.
An Interdepartmental Working Group will be looking at all of the recommendations in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Youth Report on the School Meals Programme.
556. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will put in place to ensure that the Hot School Meals Programme supports local employment, delivers freshly prepared meals on a daily basis and ensures the programme supports sustainability and local economic development across all eligible providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31904/26]
View answerThe 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.
In Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals would be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025, meaning that approximately 3,200 schools and 550,000 children are now eligible for a Hot School Meals. This equates to the distribution of up to 3.4 million school meals per week.
My Department provides the funding for food to schools. All schools who wish to avail of funding are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenders responsibilities and obligations.
The Department of Education and Youth School Meals Procurement Unit with the support of the Interdepartmental Working Group on School Meals developed mandatory procurement documentation for the Hot School Meals Programme in August 2025.
Under the Department of Education and Youth template procurement documentation it stipulates that menus must include a range of locally sourced produce along with a greater use of sustainable food, for example, in-season produce.
There are some 300 suppliers in the School Meals Programme with the majority of these supplying one to three local schools. There are eleven meals on wheels organisations supplying forty schools and there are nine large school meal providers (defined as supplying 40 schools or more). This Department worked with officials in the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and compiled a list of supports available to local community organisations who may wish to expand their operation into the school meals area.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
