1152. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the specific nutritional standards mandated by his Department under the School Meals Programme; the way in which compliance with those standards are monitored at supplier level; the auditing or oversight mechanisms currently in place; if there is a formal mechanism for parents and schools to raise concerns about the food provided to their children;…
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
1162. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of the hot school meal programme in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18776/26]
1172. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a school (details supplied) will be included in the Primary Schools Meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18853/26]
1183. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of hot school meals that met each of the five basic nutritional values and none, that were assessed in the overall assessment of 400 school meals commissioned by his Department, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19299/26]
1185. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a county-by-county breakdown of the number of children availing of the Hot School Meals Programme this academic year, in tabular form. [19333/26]
7. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the progress of the hot school meals programme funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15584/26]
12. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on his efforts to analyse and improve the quality of food available through the hot school meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14764/26]
43. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which food provided under the Hot School Meals Programme is sourced from Irish producers; the current procurement criteria for suppliers under the scheme; whether Irish origin or locally sourced produce forms part of the tender assessment process; if he will consider introducing measures to prioritise Irish-produced food, in line with publ…
71. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider a pilot project to develop a model for community-driven provision within the Hot School Meals Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15362/26]
417. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection if a nutritionist has been appointed to oversee the school hot meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15949/26]
132. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the 2025 holiday meal pilot evaluation will be published; the indicators (attendance, wellbeing, cost per participant) which will determine scale-up for summer 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15458/26]
165. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he will take to address concerns regarding cross contamination making school meals unsuitable for coeliac children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15224/26]
715. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to reduce food waste under the hot school meals programme. [14735/26]
820. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the estimated cost of abolishing the parental levy on the school milk scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14311/26]
837. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection when the rates payable under the school meals programme were last increased. [11599/26]
852. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of concerns that school meal providers are mislabelling the nutritional content of their products in their marketing content; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11934/26]
861. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will review the hot school meals programme with the aim of catering portions for the age of pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12281/26]
360. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to address a matter (details supplied), apart from the €75 increase to help schools meet rising costs without relying on constant fundraising as per a submission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11489/26]
435. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the role of Bord Bia in the hot school meals programme; if suppliers are required, encouraged or incentivised to use Bord Bia quality assured ingredients; if any data is collected on the proportion of Bord Bia certified products used in school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11195/26]
436. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the total spending on the hot school meals programme in each of the past ten years; the percentage of food provided through the programme that is not of Irish origin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11215/26]
443. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the hot school meals programme will guarantee that food supplied to participating schools is of Irish origin; if not, the European Union procurement restrictions that prevent the State from mandating Irish only produce in school meal contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11192/26]
444. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the oversight mechanisms in place to monitor compliance by food suppliers under the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11193/26]
445. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if beef used in the hot school meals programme is required to be Irish beef. [11196/26]
446. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if beef imported for the hot school meal programme is subject to EU and Bord Bia standards. [11197/26]
447. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the mandatory labelling requirements for beef used in school meals where the beef is not of Irish origin, including obligations regarding country of slaughter, country of fattening, and full traceability information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11198/26]