Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Hot School Meals Programme aims to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, by reason of lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided for them. It is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement by children, particularly those from the most disadvantaged background.

While the Hot School Meal Nutrition Standards, which provide guidance to ensure that children are offered a healthy, nutritious, and balanced lunch, neither stipulates that produce must or should be sourced in Ireland nor the proportion of foods provided with a country of origin which is not Ireland, under tender documentation as set out by the Schools Procurement Unit, the menu is to include a range of locally sourced items.

As I previously advised the Deputy, my Department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is their responsibility to administer the Programme, including handling the procurement process. All schools who wish to avail of hot meals for their pupils are responsible for choosing their supplier on the open market in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with Public Procurement rules.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.