Roll-out of hot meals programme to all Mayo primary schools is imminent

Children in every primary school in Mayo will receive hot school meals by 2030, if not sooner, as part of a landmark plan announced today, a local TD has said.

Deputy Alan Dillon also welcomed plans for the Hot School meals Programme to be extended to all DEIS primary schools in Mayo from September.

Deputy Dillon said: “School meals have a hugely positive effect on children’s health and wellbeing, which was reaffirmed in a report published yesterday by my colleague, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.

“The independent evaluation recommended that hot school meals be extended to all DEIS primary schools from September, in addition to one free hot meal for every child in Ireland to be introduced on a phased basis by 2030.

“I’m delighted that Minister Humphreys is implementing the recommendations with a massive expansion of the hot school meals programme, which means by the end of this year, 1,000 schools nationwide will be receiving hot meals.

“From 2024, the roll-out of hot meals to all remaining primary schools will start on a phased basis, with an ambition by Minister Humphreys to move faster to have this implemented before the recommended timeframe of 2030.

“When the Minister was appointed to her role in June 2020, there were just 30 schools receiving hot school meals, but today, almost 500 benefit from the hot school meals programme.

“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 Mayo schools to engage in that process.

“Research indicates that the provision of school meals resulted in improvements in attendance in school, with evidence that providing children with food in school is making a difference to families in terms of money saved, and for some families, in time saved on food preparation.

“This was also articulated by parents and teachers who spoke of the benefits of young students having a hot school meal in the middle of the day.

“There will also be an increase in school meals rate for providers, which will be backdated to January 1st 2023.

“The Department will invite expressions of interest for remaining schools who wish to participate in the hot school meals programme and I would urge Mayo schools to engage in that process,” Deputy Dillon

concluded.