Schools must receive milk, says IFA

Ireland: IFA liquid milk chairman Donal Kelleher wants to know why over 30% of primary schools are not providing subsidised milk to children under the school milk scheme at a time when the Government is concerned over diets.

He said the number of schools in the scheme has dropped by 10% in the last 5 years to just under 2,300 - or about 70% of all primary schools. As many as 130,000 schoolchildren are being deprived of an important dietary aid.

Mr Kelleher said ministers Micheál Martin and Joe Walsh should secure an adequate budget to give every child access to the milk to which they are entitled.