School meals scheme to be overhauled as reviews find 100,000 meals wasted daily

The Government is to overhaul the school meals scheme after two reviews found shortcomings in the service.

A study of the programme commissioned by the Government said on Monday that about 100,000 meals were wasted every day, and about a fifth of all hot school meals were uneaten.

Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary’s review of the scheme was brought before Cabinet on Monday and outlined four major changes.

Announcing the publication of two Government reports, Mr Calleary said: “Firstly, we are going to develop a three-week standardised menus cycle. At the moment, that is not present in many schools.

“Secondly, we are making adaptations for special schools, for children with special dietary requirements, to ensure to improve the inclusivity of the programme.

“Thirdly, different size meals for different age groups. We find different levels of acceptance from primary from junior infants, right up until sixth class, and given the nutrition requirements will differ, we’re going to adjust the proportions.

“Finally, we’re going to look at the flexibility of introducing a cold lunch option. That was the preference of many parents.”

Since the scheme was extended nationwide in September 2025, about half a million hot school meals have been delivered to primary schools across the country daily, to benefit 3,200 schools and more than 550,000 children.

Despite a directive from Government to centralise public sector procurement arrangements for common supplies and services, Mr Calleary said that the scheme would continue to use local procurement.

“Central procurement will take away the local input, and I think it’s important the schools have input for local element,” he said.

“Where this programme works very well is where the supplier is close to the school or can get to the school really quickly, in terms of value and in terms of nutrition.

“We do a lot of the negotiation. We will be doing all of the negotiation around nutritional standards, around the change in menu cycles.

“The volume of school meals is quite extraordinary every day, and it’s very challenging for any procurement operator to do that.”

Speaking at Government Buildings before Cabinet on Monday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said people were focusing on the negatives rather than the positives.

“People look at a glass half full, or a half empty, and the bottom line is that over three quarters has been used,” he said,

“In a scheme that’s so widespread, and that was actually ramped up fairly quickly in a very short time, there’s been many positive impacts from it.

“It has been an impactful programme in terms of bringing much-needed nutrition to many, many children and quite a number of children who perhaps wouldn’t get access to that nutrition and meals on a regular basis.

“But of course there’s room for improvement, and certainly in terms of the quality of the food used, and also in terms of making sure there’s no waste, and I think that has to be drilled into us.”

Tánaiste Simon Harris said of the introduction of school meals:: “It has ensured that every child is getting a hot meal each day, and that’s very important from a child wellbeing point of view. You can’t learn if you’re hungry.

“For many, many parents, it’s been very, very helpful to know that their child is going to get food in school.”

He added: “There’s been very significant feedback from parents or teachers, from children themselves, as to how it can be improved.

“Not every child wants a hot meal. Some children might want a cold meal because they might be having a dinner later at home in the house that evening.

“Sometimes there’s a nutritional issue that needs to be addressed and a portion size issue.”