Green TD Steven Matthews has welcomed the strong uptake of the Hot School Meal Programme in Wicklow Primary Schools. This is an issue that Deputy Matthews has worked on extensively with the Department of Social Protection and several local schools since being elected in 2020. Discussing the large uptake of the programme, Deputy Matthews said:
“This is hugely positive news for families in these schools. When visiting schools, this issue is one that is constantly raised with me by parents, principals, and teachers.
“The provision of hot meals to children is a hugely worthwhile investment in their wellbeing and development. This is particularly welcome at a time when food prices are at such a high level.
“The provision of school meals is a key intervention to tackle educational disadvantage and assist those children to achieve their full potential. The simple reality is, if children are hungry in classrooms, they can’t concentrate, and the negative knock-on impact has been shown in countless studies.
“One thing I have consistently raised with the Ministers for Social Protection and Education is the need to avoid excess waste as part of the national rollout. I believe that any vendors tendering for these contracts to provide hot school meals should include how they propose to reduce the use of single-use plastic and ensure that food waste is minimised.
“Work is ongoing with a number of other Wicklow primary schools at earlier stages of introducing this scheme and I will be working with the Department of Education to ensure any unnecessary delays are avoided.
“I have worked with a series of schools across the county that had been included in this programme in earlier rounds of funding to ensure that funding was allocated as quickly as possible and that any other teething issues were resolved. If there are any other schools or families are experiencing any problems with this service, I would be more than happy to assist them directly, concluded Deputy Matthews.
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