Collins: Unfair, Wasteful and Discriminatory "Government’s hot meals scheme discriminates against small schools and rural communities"

Collins: Unfair, Wasteful and Discriminatory "Government’s hot meals scheme discriminates against small schools and rural communities"  

Independent Ireland Leader Michael Collins TD has accused the Government of “disgraceful discrimination” against small schools and rural communities under its badly designed hot meals scheme.

Deputy Collins said that, like so many of this Government’s headline-grabbing announcements, the hot meals programme promised fairness but has unravelled into a policy “with more holes than help”, leaving smaller schools at risk of losing out altogether.

“We have consulted with parents, teachers and principals across the country, and the message is loud and clear — this policy is unworkable as it stands. Small schools, often at the heart of rural communities, are being pushed to the wall by impossible regulations and no extra support. This is discrimination, plain and simple, and it cannot be allowed to stand,” he said.

The Cork South-West TD pointed to new procurement and food safety rules that have placed an impossible burden on providers. Schools with just a handful of pupils — “domestic schools” that only require a small oven to heat meals — are being told they now need designated rooms with architectural certification, mechanical ventilation, upgraded electrics, and strict waste removal procedures. Providers are also being forced to register as Food Business Operators for every individual school, triggering additional insurance, compliance and staffing costs that simply cannot be met on the €3.20 per pupil allocation.

Parents, teachers and principals have also raised serious concerns about the shameful waste built into the scheme. Large proportions of food are going straight into the bin every day, wasting money as well as meals. Some principals have suggested simpler, more efficient solutions such as providing hot soup, rolls, and other flexible options that better suit the needs of smaller schools. “At a time when Government claims it is determined to cut waste, it has actually created a system that generates waste — food waste, financial waste, and community frustration. It is disgraceful, and it needs to change,” Collins said.

“Providers are walking away because they can’t meet the unrealistic standards without extra funding. And what’s the result? Children in smaller, rural schools are left without meals. Parents, teachers and communities are rightly furious. Once again, this Government has designed a scheme to look good in a press release, but when you lift the bonnet, the policy falls apart.”

Deputy Collins said he will be raising the issue directly with the Minister for Education and the Taoiseach once the Dáil resumes.

“This is not just about food — it’s about equality. Children in small schools are entitled to the same supports as children in larger urban schools. Rural communities are sick of being treated as second-class. Government must act immediately to fix this mess, provide the necessary subsidies, and deliver a scheme that is fair to every school, every community, and every child.”