711. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department intends to contact schools that do not apply for the extended school meals scheme in the current academic school year to determine the reasons they have not applied. [63044/25]
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
730. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will urgently intervene in a case involving difficulties that a primary school (details supplied) is having with his Department’s School Meals Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63834/25]
83. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the mechanism for any primary school participating in the hot school meal programme that have concerns related to the nutritional value of meals provided, plastic waste or any other issue; the way in which this can be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59973/25]
103. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the percentage of primary schools in the Dún Laoghaire constituency that are currently participating in the hot school meals programme or have started the process of providing this service in the school; the actions being taken to further expand this to all remaining primary schools in the area; and if he will make a statement on t…
110. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools enrolled in the school meals scheme 2025; when he expects to receive a report on the nutritional standards of the hot school meals as part of the review currently being undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61988/25]
119. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that many parents are completely dissatisfied with the school meals scheme and concerned about the quality and nutritional value of the lunches provided to schools; and the measures being taken to restore confidence in the hot school meals scheme. [59669/25]
138. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools who have refused to take up the offer of a hot school meal; the attempts his Department have made to change this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62023/25]
145. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has concerns about the quality of meals being provided under the hot school meals scheme; if he has concerns about the amount of food provided under the scheme being binned due to these issues; if he has engaged with meal providers regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61450/25]
146. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools still waiting on the national roll out of the hot school meals programme; the communication her Department has had with providers of the hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59396/25]
650. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that initially subscribed to the hot school meals schemes in 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of persons that have now opted out. [61006/25]
651. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools that did not opt in to the hot meals schemes in 2025; and the number of schools that have opted out of the schemes in 2024 and 2025. [61007/25]
1156. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of children in primary schools in receipt of hot dinners; the number of children who have opted out of meals; the means by which companies are funded when children opt out; whether the provider will still receive payments for children who have opted to receive no meals; if his Department monitors the number of children who are opting out …
1162. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review correspondence regarding the decision to deny funding for a school breakfast club (details supplied); if he will address the concerns raised about the impact this decision may have on students' well-being and participation in education; if he will outline any alternative funding streams, grant opportunities, or forms they could comple…
1163. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 663 of 14 October 2025, the reason the changes outlined in the procurement documents are prohibiting smaller schools from accessing school lunches (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58068/25]
1173. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if a State-funded primary school may refuse to participate in the free school meals programme; the circumstances in which it may decide to refuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58363/25]
1174. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of primary schools that have refused to participate in the free school meals programme; the percentage this amount is of the total number of primary schools in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58364/25]
1222. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools affected by the withdrawal of hot school meal provision by county, in tabular form; the number of pupils effected in each county in tabular form; the steps the Government will take to provide meal reheating facilities to the schools which need same; the timeframe for same; the provisions the government will make in the meanti…
217. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the procurement and certification standards applied to meat and poultry products supplied under the free school meals and school lunch schemes; if halal-certified meat is being used as a default standard by State-contracted caterers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55681/25]
218. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department requires lunch providers participating in the free school meals programme to inform schools and parents if meat products are halal-certified; and if she will consider introducing mandatory labelling or disclosure rules to ensure transparency and parental awareness. [55682/25]
219. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has undertaken any assessment of whether the use of halal-certified meat in school meals is compatible with the principles of religious neutrality in State-funded education [55683/25]
220. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide a list of approved school meal contractors currently supplying halal-certified meat or poultry products under Department-funded school lunch schemes. [55684/25]
221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether schools or parents are given any option to request non-halal meat or vegetarian alternatives within the free school meals programme; and if not, the reasons. [55685/25]
355. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Health if she will conduct a review of the school meals and place mandatory minimum nutritional and quality guidelines in place for service providers when contracting with individual schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56018/25]
663. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a school (details supplied) and many other smaller rural schools are being disregarded in the provision of hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55130/25]
241. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures being taken to reduce the level of waste under the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54282/25]