Louth and East Meath TD Joanna Byrne has renewed calls for funding certainty for the Breakfast Club and in-house hot school meals service at St John’s and St Paul’s in Drogheda.
The Sinn Féin TD said she has now raised the issue with the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and several ministers, arguing that the schools need clarity over whether their existing model will be supported under the Government’s Hot School Meals programme.
Byrne raised the issue directly with the Tánaiste in the Dáil earlier this month.
“I have now raised the outrageous situation facing St. John’s and St Paul’s with An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Special Education and the Minister for Social Protection,” she said.
“They all know that the Breakfast club and hot nutritious school meals being provided to students are at risk of being lost.”
Concern over current funding model
St John’s and St Paul’s operate an in-house canteen and breakfast club rather than relying solely on an external meal provider.
Byrne said the schools have met the recommendations associated with the Hot School Meals programme but do not fit the current funding model.
“Despite meeting all of the recommendations and ticking every box the Government says it wants for hot school meals; they apparently do not fit the new model,” she said.
“That same model is now being reviewed by the Government.”
In the Dáil on 1st October, Byrne asked the Tánaiste to intervene and said the schools had repeatedly invited the Minister for Education to visit and see the service in operation.
The Tánaiste said he would ask the Minister to visit the schools when next in Louth and would also ask the Minister for Social Protection to examine the Drogheda model as part of the wider review of the Hot School Meals programme.
Calls for ministers to visit
Byrne said she has since written to both ministers asking them to visit the schools and provide clarity on funding.
“The Tánaiste gave me a commitment that he would engage with the Minister for Education, and with the Minister for Social Protection,” she said.
“I have now written to both Ministers and asked them to urgently visit the schools; to provide the funding they need; to ensure they do not lose their staff and to endorse the model being used here which should be the gold standard for the hot school meals programme.”
The Drogheda Breakfast Club has operated for decades, with earlier reporting showing the service providing hot breakfasts and lunches to pupils at the two schools and being regarded locally as a long-running part of the school community.
Byrne said the uncertainty should now be resolved.
“The Breakfast Club at St Johns and St Pauls cannot be left in limbo. I am urging the Ministers to accept the invitation to visit the schools.
“I’ll continue to push this hugely important issue until common sense prevails.”
