THE principal of a Limerick city primary school is calling on the government to reexamine the budget allocation for the school meals programme in light of the ongoing baby boom.
The school’s budget for the childrens’ lunches has not increased in the last three years, despite the fact that the number of pupils has been steadily growing.
“Funding for the school meals programme has been capped at the numbers we had three years ago. However, there is a baby boom at the moment and we’ve seen a huge increase in enrollments, so we’re currently being paid for 20 children less than we are feeding,” the principal told the Limerick Post.
“This definitely needs to be looked at again; it’s a very important scheme, and a very successful scheme. We will feel the pinch if this isn’t reviewed. We’ll find the money from somewhere, but we shouldn’t have to do that. We get €1.40 per child per day; it’s little enough, you have to shop around and do your research.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Social Protection commented: “The budget is capped, that has not increased in the last number of years. If they can provide food at a cheaper rate for more children, then that’s up to the school.”
According to the Department, any increased payments to schools already in the scheme “can only be considered in a budgetary context” and any applications for additional funding will be retained for future consideration “should additional funding become available”.
The school meals programme gives funding towards the provision of food services for children in schools in disadvantaged areas; the overall national budget allocation for the programme has remained at €37 million per year for the last three years.
In 2013, an additional €2 million was added to the programme to extend the scheme to a further 100 schools.
Nationwide, there are now approximately 715 DEIS schools (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) participating in the school meals programme.
