Ireland’s Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, on Wednesday announced the approval of 168 additional primary schools for the Hot School Meals Programme. This expansion means nearly 2,200 primary schools across Ireland are now eligible to receive hot school meals.
With the inclusion of the new schools, an additional 29,000 children will have access to nutritious hot meals starting this September. This also brings the total number of primary school children now eligible to receive a Hot School Meal everyday to 345,000.
Minister Humphreys highlighted the significant growth of the programme since her appointment, expanding from a small pilot of just 30 schools to a nationwide initiative. “My ambition now is to finish the job as part of this year’s Budget and ensure that every primary school in Ireland is providing hot school meals in 2025,” she stated.
The Minister emphasized the long-term impact of this initiative, calling it one of the lasting legacies of the current Government.
The Department of Social Protection provides the funding to schools for the programme, while the responsibility of choosing a supplier lies with the schools.
Below is the full list of the 168 new primary schools that have been approved for the initiative: