School Meals Programme

154. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of the hot school meals programme; the percentage of schools in the Dún Laoghaire constituency that have this programme in place; in cases where there are delays, the work that is ongoing to expedite it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49131/25]

161. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in Cork county that have made contact with his Department due to recent changes to the procurement system under the school meals scheme; if the Department is working with each of these schools to ensure that their school meals can continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50806/25]

169. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection regarding the hot school meals scheme, the steps he is taking to measure the food that is wasted; the steps he is taking to minimise the food that is being wasted; the measures in place to mandate those with contracts to provide free schools meals are mandated to minimise food waste; the steps he has taken to treat it as food surplus for…

299. 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. [50996/25]

300. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the reasons given to his Department for the refusal of a school (details supplied) to sign up to the hot meals scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51001/25]

80. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has any metrics for tracking wastage in the hot school meals programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50520/25]

81. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department’s processes in terms of purchasing Irish produce for schools under the national procurement thresholds; and to outline the economic value of Irish beef purchased by schools through his Department in the past five years. [50621/25]

82. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the budget allocation for the school meals programme in 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [50639/25]

287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection to list every post-primary school that applied for participation in the hot school meals or school meals scheme and that was refused or deemed ineligible since 2022, with reasons; and to explain the evidence base for excluding post-primary pupils when England, Finland and the United States apply standards or programmes across older c…

288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the full text of any memorandum of understanding or governance agreement with the Department of Social Protection and the HSE regarding school-meal delivery on school premises, including responsibilities for safeguarding, allergens, and food-safety inspections; and if none exists, the reason for the governance gap. [49465/…

291. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the procurement model used by schools and patron bodies for meal provision, including the use of frameworks, lot sizes, SME access, and any late rule changes in 2025 that contributed to roll out delays; and to publish the corresponding risk register entries. [49469/25]

293. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which he will ensure equity for pupils with special diets (allergies, coeliac disease, cultural-religious requirements), including compulsory written allergen information availability on site; and the dates of the last environmental health inspections per school. [49471/25]

735. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to ensure schools affected by companies pulling out of contracts due to procurement criteria in the hot school meal scheme are resolved; and or if he will introduce a temporary measure to ensure these children are catered for. [48053/25]

737. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which food waste is monitored in the hot school meals scheme; the latest data in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48091/25]

743. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures he is taking to ensure that schools affected by food companies pulling out of the hot school meals scheme due to updated procurement criteria, are provided with hot meals; the interim measures in place; and when he expects this issue will be resolved, allowing all schools to avail of the free hot school meal scheme. …

744. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason Youthreach services are excluded from qualifying for the school meals grant. [48316/25]

770. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a primary school can refuse the hot school meals programme against the wish of parents. [48601/25]

776. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to ensure students in small schools have access to hot school meals as a result of their provider ceasing the supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48701/25]

777. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for revised procurement documents for hot school meals; when they were issued to schools and providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48709/25]

778. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the support being provided to affected schools and parents to mitigate the disruption to schools unable to provide hot school meals. [48710/25]

779. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide the reasons some schools are currently unable to provide hot school meals to their students, in tabular form. [48711/25]

780. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to mitigate the level of food waste being experienced in schools as a result of hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48712/25]

781. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection if parents will be given the option to opt out of school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48713/25]

782. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to inspect more schools this academic year than last academic year. [48714/25]

783. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Social Protection the timeframe for publication of the nutritional review of hot school meals. [48716/25]