Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
341. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of school meals that were prepared but not taken up in the past year due to pupils being absent and meals not being cancelled in advance; the estimated cost of such wasted meals to the Exchequer in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46467/26]
View answerUnder the School Meals Programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier.My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each school board to administer the Programme in their school.
Schools are invoiced based on the actual number of meals ordered and delivered. Parents or guardians place orders for the meals and the supplier is paid only for the meals that are requested and provided. Suppliers have a 48-hour cancellation policy and parents or guardians are required to cancel orders if their child will be absent from school.
All schools are responsible for reconciling invoices against meal delivery dockets and therefore the school does not pay for cancelled meals that have not been delivered.
As part of a school’s annual application for funding, a full examination of income and expenditure is conducted by my Department. This includes the school submitting bank statements and invoices for the previous academic year. This is to ensure that there are no irregularities in payments or blanket charging by suppliers.
I trust this clarifies the matter
