Almost 1,000 kids in Tipperary will benefit from hot meals at school in a significant expansion of the programme.
Some 35,000 students across 189 schools in Ireland are included in the 2021 Hot School Meals Programme – an almost five fold increase on the number last year.
Five DEIS schools in Tipperary are included – Killenaule National School (115 students), Scoil Iosef Naofa at Corville in Roscrea (331), St Joseph’s (90) and St Colmcille’s (111) Primary Schools in Templemore, and Sacred Heart Primary School in Roscrea (143).
The Monastery Primary School in Tipp Town (190) is the only non-DEIS school in Tipp to be included.
Minister Heather Humphreys says it’s particularly important for more disadvantaged families:
“Our school children have shown extraordinary resilience over the past 12 months amid huge disruption caused to their lives by Covid-19.
“The Hot School Meals Programme is an important initiative in terms of a child’s wellbeing and nutrition. It is also known to facilitate better education outcomes.
“When the scheme was initially launched as a pilot, it was availed of by 6,600 children in 37 schools.
“From today, the Hot School Meals Programme will support 35,000 children in 189 schools in every city and county in the country.
“I wish to thank the schools involved in the project and acknowledge their ongoing cooperation with the Department to ensure its delivery.”
