Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
44. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a pilot of the Hot School Meals Programme to be administered by Meals on Wheels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46282/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll 3,200 primary schools and 550,000 children are eligible for hot school meals. Across all meal types there some 3,700 schools and 682,000 children are eligible for support. This equates to the distribution of up to 3.4 million school meals per week. The meals on wheels have 317 providers delivering 239,000 meals per month to 19,000 people. 11 Meals on Wheels providers are currently supporting 40 schools in the Hot School Meals scheme.
The Department of Education and Youth Schools Procurement Unit provide guidance to schools for all procurements including the School Meals Programme. They have published mandatory call for tender procurement documentation and produced guidance documents.
There are over 300 school meal providers delivering school meals across the country, they consist of a diverse group of organisations from the large national supplier, regional suppliers, to local restaurants and food outlets as well as meals on wheels. The advice my Department has given to schools is that you can procure your school meals from any registered food business provider you wish as long as they meet the standards set in the procurement documentation. This includes local cafés, restaurants, caterers, meals on wheels services and community organisations registered as food business operators. There is no specific pilot in relation Meals on Wheels.
I would encourage local food businesses, meals on wheels services to engage with their local schools when they tender for a school meals provider.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
