Local Fianna Fáil Senator Erin McGreehan has said 5 additional primary schools in Louth have been approved for the Hot School Meals Programme.
The further rollout of the Government’s Hot School Meals Programme will see an additional 29,000 children across 168 schools have access to nutritious hot meals for the new school year starting from this September. This brings the total number of primary school children now eligible to receive a Hot School Meal every day to 345,000.
Welcoming the expansion of this scheme Senator McGreehan said, “I’m heartened to see the extension of this hugely important initiative which is designed to ensure that every child has access to regular, nutritious meals, enabling them to make the most of the educational opportunities available to them.
“The expansion of the Hot School Meals programme has been a priority for Fianna Fáil in Government and its expansion has been supported by the Department of Education under my Fianna Fáil colleague, Minister for Education Norma Foley.
“No child should have to learn on an empty stomach. The expansion of this programme to these additional schools is a vital step in making sure that all our children have access to a hot meal.
“The Department of Social Protection provides the funding to schools for the School Meals Programme, and it is the responsibility of schools to choose their supplier in an open, fair and transparent manner.
“I understand that the Department will now write to each of the 5 schools to advise them on the next steps in this regard to allow schools time to prepare so that their pupils will be able to avail of Hot School Meals from September 2024.”
ENDS
