Over 150,000 children to benefit from Hot School Meals

THE Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, announced that 900 primary schools have been approved for the Hot School Meals Programme – this includes a number of local schools.

The announcement means an additional 150,000 children will benefit from nutritious hot meals next year.

Local schools included in the programme are Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS, Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcain, Gaelscoil Chnoc Liamhna, Gaelscoil Inse Chor, Gaelscoil Lir, Gaelscoil Na Camoige, Glen Na Smol NS, Griffeen Valley Educate Together NS, Holy Family National School in Rathcoole, Lucan BNS, Lucan Community National School, Rathcoole ETNS, Riverview Educate Together National School, Scoil Naomh Ide in Clondalkin, St Damien’s NS, St Kevin’s Boys Kilnamanagh, and St Kevin’s Girls Kilnamanagh.

Announcing details of the 900 schools, Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted to announce today that an additional 900 primary schools have been approved for the Hot School Meals Programme.

“When I was appointed Minister for Social Protection in June 2020, there were 30 schools receiving hot meals. Today’s announcement means that from April next year there will be over 1,400 primary schools benefitting from Hot School Meals.

“As Minister, I am absolutely determined to continue to expand the Hot School Meals Programme to every Primary School in Ireland.

“My ambition is that a child born in Ireland today will be guaranteed access to a hot meal by the time they start school.

“The major expansion I am announcing today means we are now well on course to achieve that objective.”

The Hot School Meals Programme was introduced in 2019 as a small pilot of 30 schools.

Minister Humphreys has grown the Programme significantly in recent years and all DEIS Primary Schools are now eligible to receive a Hot Meal.

Earlier this year, Minister Humphreys signalled her intention to roll out the Hot School Meals Programme to all primary schools.

As part of this significant expansion plan, all remaining primary schools were contacted and requested to submit an expression of interest form if their school is interested in commencing the provision of hot school meals.