1840. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection when the paperwork necessary to begin the hot school meals programme will be distributed to schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43078/25]
Topics / School Meals Programme
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSchool Meals Programme
359 questions from 90 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 21 October 2026.
359
questions
352 written, 7 oral
90
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
5
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 7 |
| February 2025 | 28 |
| March 2025 | 8 |
| April 2025 | 13 |
| May 2025 | 26 |
| June 2025 | 13 |
| July 2025 | 19 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 41 |
| October 2025 | 12 |
| November 2025 | 23 |
| December 2025 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 15 |
| February 2026 | 27 |
| March 2026 | 6 |
| April 2026 | 10 |
| May 2026 | 34 |
| June 2026 | 18 |
| July 2026 | 3 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 25 |
| October 2026 | 9 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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48
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22
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17
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13
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12
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10
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9
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8
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
1841. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason schools were not notified during the school year that the necessary paperwork for the hot school meals programme was not ready (details supplied).; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43079/25]
1842. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will announce the delay of the hot school meals programme expansion or if principals will have to communicate this to parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43080/25]
1845. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of school children who will be in receipt of hot meals from the start of the next school year, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43201/25]
392. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Social Protection when hot school meals will be extended to all non-fee-paying post primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39998/25]
409. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify when the review of the template documents for new schools joining the hot school meals scheme in advance of procurement will be complete; to confirm that these documents will be available to allow schools apply for this scheme in advance of the school year commencing in September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37328…
563. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families in Kilkenny and Carlow currently availing of the free school meals scheme; the annual cost of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37279/25]
283. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the quality assurance mechanisms his Department has in place to monitor the implementation of the Hot School Meals Programme; if he will confirm whether any inspections or audits were carried out during the 2024–2025 academic year; if his Department intends to publish the findings of these inspections; and if he will outline the enforcement procedures t…
284. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he is satisfied that the meals served under the Hot School Meals Programme align with national and international nutritional guidelines for children; if his Department has conducted any independent assessments of the meals provided; and if he will outline the specific steps taken to address the prevalence of ultra-processed foods, such as chips,…
285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the steps his Department has taken to ensure that children with coeliac disease and other medical dietary requirements are fully and equally included in the Hot School Meals Programme; if he has engaged with relevant advocacy groups (details supplied); and whether his Department is preparing reforms to provide medically safe, inclusiv…
286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has conducted any assessment of the levels of food waste generated under the Hot School Meals Programme; whether any formal cost-benefit or value-for-money analysis has been carried out; and if he will indicate whether infrastructural investment or centralised food preparation models are being considered to improve sustainability and e…
287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the scope, methodology, and reporting timeline of the current review of the Hot School Meals Programme; to confirm whether nutritionists, school management bodies, and parent organisations will be consulted as part of the process; and to indicate whether his Department is satisfied that sufficient quality control and supplier capacity exist t…
526. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all post-primary school pupils in public schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35646/25]
649. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated full-year cost of providing free school meals for all pre-school children in the ECCE scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35659/25]
278. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason for the delay in the roll out of the hot school meals scheme in a school (details supplied) and to confirm that the roll out of this scheme in this school will be prioritised and delivered at the earliest possible time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35150/25]
108. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount allocated to the school meal holiday programme; the number of schools taking part, by county, in tabular form; the funding allocated in each county; if he will update the House on whether the scheme will be further rolled out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33121/25]
331. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline her engagements regarding the hot school meals programme. [31315/25]
894. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has reviewed, or is intending to review, the nutritional standards set by his Department in relation to the school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29352/25]
895. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection when the interdepartmental working group to oversee and make recommendations on the operation of the school meals scheme, including in relation to nutrition inspection and evaluation, will report their recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29353/25]
896. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the current nutritional standards set by his Department in relation to the school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29354/25]
913. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the school meal scheme for post primary schools to all post primary schools in the State. [29774/25]
914. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the average cost of children's allowance paid to parents each month. [29775/25]
915. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing breakfast club to all DEIS primary schools. [29780/25]
928. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing the school meals programme to all post-primary schools in the State. [29832/25]
930. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing breakfast clubs to all DEIS primary schools in the state. [29837/25]