Councillor welcomes new schools in free meals scheme - Kilkenny Live

Labour Party councillor in Kilkenny City and Chairperson of Carlow/Kilkenny Labour Party has welcomed the inclusion of eleven primary schools across Carlow and Kilkenny in the Department of Education’s Hot Meals Scheme from this September.

The list includes his own former school, Gaelscoil Osraí in Kilkenny City and schools from Bagenalstown to Owning.

"I welcome this announcement by Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD today. While hot school meals are a novelty in Ireland, they are common across many other countries, including our near neighbours in Britain.

"They can provide a major support to parents in ensuring that children are receiving adequate nutrition in school and I also know from my days as school principal and particularly as a learning support teacher that children’s concentration and learning abilities improve considerably when they receive adequate lunches.

"There is also the reality that many children arrive hungry to school as outlined in a number of studies. Addressing the cost of living crisis and continuing child poverty has to be a priority, but this announcement will help many of these families. It’ s certainly a long way from the bread and jam and cocoa many of us received in the 1970’s and 80’s.

"I now call on the Minister and Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD to ensure that schools have the necessary equipment and personnel in place in September to make the scheme a success from the start.

"I would also call for the scheme to ensure that meals are of the highest possible nutritional value and that ingredients are sourced locally to schools, supporting local farmers and food producers and minimising the carbon footprint of the meals children will receive," he said.