105. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the quality and nutritional value of some of the food provided under the hot school meals programme; if he proposes to create guidelines regarding standards and nutritional requirements for service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/25]
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
115. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans for the further extension of hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8385/25]
120. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to roll out hot school meals to all secondary schools; when the first phase will be delivered; the schools that will be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8318/25]
156. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will investigate the reasons for a funding change in the food grant given to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8619/25]
157. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if the hot meals programme menus cater for all food allergies and if the ingredients and cooking methods reach the standards for healthy eating as per the standards outlined by the WHO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8608/25]
197. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the assistance he is giving to schools under the school meals programme who are unable to secure a catering provider to roll out this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8367/25]
608. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection when the remaining schools will be able to avail of the free school meals programme; the timeline for its full implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7981/25]
266. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 15 May 2024, to provide details of the tender documentation provided; to provide the options given of considerations for reduction in waste of packaging; and to provide all schools’ budget allocation and expenditure on school meals in tabular form. [6870/25]
267. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the details of the process for quality checks of the Healthy Ireland Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. [6871/25]
129. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the costing for hot school meals, per child, per school; and to identify the providers of the service, in tabular form. [6475/25]
130. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools refused the hot meals scheme; and the reasons given in each incidence, in tabular form. [6478/25]
132. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of students in receipt of the school meals scheme in counties Offaly and Laois for each of the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6507/25]
134. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools per county in receipt of the hot meals scheme, in tabular form. [6560/25]
135. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for the hot meals scheme, by county, in tabular form. [6561/25]
223. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of students in receipt of the school meals scheme in County Clare for each of the years 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5266/25]
233. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Social Protection if the dietary requirements of children with coeliac disease are catered for in all schools, as a part of the school meals scheme; if this requirement is included in contracts with suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5344/25]
391. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to ensure the nutritional value of food in the hot school meals programme; if there are specific obligations on schools and providers in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4760/25]
397. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a report of the inspections which took place in 2024 of schools participating in the hot school meals programme; and to provide a representative sample of lunches provided, with an ingredient and preparation method breakdown. [3999/25]
660. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection to address an issue over the hot lunch programme affecting a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2480/25]
661. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will take to address the exclusion of coeliac children from hot school meals, to ensure their dietary needs are met in a fair and equitable manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2481/25]
676. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if parents are entitled to have information regarding where the ingredients are sourced for the school meals recently rolled out in primary schools in Kerry and throughout the country; if this information is available for each meal provided to school children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2734/25]
677. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection to investigate the amount of additional wastage caused by the free school meals, per person, per school and per county, in tabular form (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2745/25]
683. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the current quality standards for hot school lunches; and the way these standards are monitored and maintained. [2873/25]
684. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools under the hot meal programme currently; and the number of schools which have registered complaints with the quality of the food to the relevant office in his Department. [2874/25]
689. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if a healthy-meal approach is taken or nutritional experts consulted for the provision of hot meals in schools, which contain many additives, a prevalence of fructose and palm oil in their ingredients; if the nutritional value of the meals can be improved prior to a full roll out across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […