152. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in county Kildare that are now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21686/25]
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
162. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of island schools receiving the school meals programme; if he is satisfied with the way in which the programme is operating on island schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17120/25]
276. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection to address concerns regarding the nutritional value of the meals provided under the hot school meals programme; if he is aware that certain dietary requirements are not catered for under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17150/25]
924. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education if she has concerns regarding the quality consistency of the school meals programme with regard to the Healthy Ireland framework, the principles of Sláintecare, and concerns raised by clinicians and parents regarding nutritional value; if he has considered a review of the scheme from a health perspective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [196…
1389. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to address issues pertaining to the hot meals programme for special schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18665/25]
1412. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a report on the inspections which took place in 2024 of schools participating in the Hot Schools Meals Programme; if he will provide a representative sample of lunches provided, with an ingredient and preparation method breakdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19236/25]
1417. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the text of correspondence (details supplied) from a school to parents that disclosed that children in challenging circumstances such as homelessness, refugee status, socioeconomic difficulty and other challenging circumstances will be put in a draw for the free lunch scheme; the steps his Department will take to rectify this issue; and if a…
1423. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby schools that have been selected for the hot school meals programme but wish instead to provide cold food options only, including salads and sandwiches; if there is a provision to allow for that; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19579/25]
1430. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has concerns regarding the quality consistency of the school meals programme with regard to the Healthy Ireland framework, the principles of Sláintecare, and concerns raised by clinicians and parents regarding nutritional value; if he has considered a review of the scheme from a health perspective; and if he will make a statement on the matte…
1431. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection her Department's plans to review the hot school meals programme with regard to nutritional content and consistency with State-issued public health and dietary advice. [19712/25]
1457. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in a situation regarding the provision of hot lunches at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20469/25]
2200. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if she has any concerns regarding the quality consistency of the school meals programme with regard to the Healthy Ireland framework, the principles of Sláintecare, and concerns raised by clinicians and parents regarding nutritional value; if she has or will have any discussions with the Minister for Social Protection on the matter; if she will seek a review …
295. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the school lunch programme for rural schools, especially in Kerry, as rural schools are faced with a lack of providers for the school lunch programme as the distance is prohibitive; if she will increase the funding for this service in rural schools to reflect the distances from local providers to the schools; and if he will make a …
261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection to give greater flexibility in the hot meals programme menu being offered to children in special schools (details supplied), especially for children with additional sensory needs and specific dietary preferences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16404/25]
262. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will take to ensure that food produced in Ireland will be included in the first instance for hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16432/25]
185. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the name of the provider that currently holds the largest contract for delivering hot school meals to primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16181/25]
482. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is satisfied that providers under the Hot School Meals Programme are not required to provide his Department with details of their preparation methods for meals provided under the programme; his views on whether the Food Safety Authority of Ireland guidelines and regulations (details supplied) are robust enough to ensure that all meals provided to…
483. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he will take to address the amount of food waste and single-use disposable plastic packaging under the Hot School Meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13319/25]
1000. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on when the next round of applications under the school meals programme will be accepted, as the only information to hand suggests that schools will be accepted on a phased basis starting on 1 April 2025, however it is important that information is supplied to schools in advance of that date in order that applications can be made. [10…
1013. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any plans to introduce a school meals scheme at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11274/25]
314. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if they will instruct his Department to reevaluate partnerships with private companies supplying food as part of the hot school meal programme to ensure that nutritional needs of the students are being met and waste kept to a minimum. [10358/25]
122. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to further roll out the school meals programme; if so, the way the programme will expand and develop in terms of school numbers; and if the roll out will be countrywide or regional. [10124/25]
409. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education to provide a detailed report on the school meals scheme, providing the nutritional information for all meals provided, where the ingredients are sourced, the nutritional requirements set by the Department for Children, Equality, Disability and Youth; who is regulating the providers; if her Department will take the responsibility to regulate and over…
766. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Health to provide a detailed report on the school meals scheme, providing the nutritional information for all meals provided, where the ingredients are sourced, the nutritional requirements set by the Department for Children, Equality, Disability and Youth; who is regulating the providers; if her Department will take the responsibility to regulate and oversee…
93. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection how Healthy Ireland nutrition standards and specific dietary requirements are enforced in the school meals programme. [8362/25]