Oireachtas committee may suggest milk and water as only drink choices in school meals scheme

The Oireachtas education committee heard that limiting drinks to milk or water could have a positive impact on the dental hygiene of children. File photo: iStock/Jollier_

Drinks on the school meals scheme should be limited to milk or water, and more organic and Irish food should feature, the Oireachtas education committee is to consider recommending. 

The committee met on Thursday to seek an update on the scheme which now sees 550,000 children eligible for hot school meals, and carries a budget of €300 million.

The scheme is overseen by an inter-departmental working group made up of representatives from the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Education and Youth, the Department of Health and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

At the beginning of September, thousands of children were left without a hot lunch after suppliers claimed changes to the programme made providing to small schools financially unviable. Simon Shevlin, chairperson of the Interdepartmental Working Group, said issues had arisen regarding access in some rural schools.

A total of 112 schools were affected by the withdrawal of two suppliers. Of this, 27 currently do not have a solution in place.

“The Department of Social Protection have contacted each of the schools and the Meals on Wheels in these areas and we are aware of 11 Meals and Wheels providing hot school meals in rural areas,” Mr Shevlin said.

Fianna Fáil TD John Connolly commended the overall scheme, adding that a dentist who used to visit a local school he was linked with had asked it to introduce a policy to limit drinks to milk or water. 

“To try and stop the children bringing in fruit drinks, smoothies, etc because of the impact that had on dental hygiene. I wonder, could we expand this scheme to look at the provision of milk or water for all children?" he asked.

Sinn Féin TD Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh told the committee she has heard of children receiving non-Irish products in their school lunch, such as cheese.

She asked:

It's public funding. Should we encourage spending and buying Irish products?

Committee chair, Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe, who is also a farmer, asked how much of the menu on the scheme is made up of organic produce. He was advised that the procurement process ensures that 10% of the food is organic. “That’s very low,” he replied.

Fiona Ward, a registered dietician who sits on the working group said the scheme “clearly suggests” that water is the optimum drink. “If fruit juice is being made available, then it should be limited to just 150mls, and only once throughout the day,” she said.

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Other jurisdictions are looking at removing fruit juice, she added: "But because we know that Irish children are very limited in their fruit and veg intake, that hasn't been removed just yet.”

Later, Mr Crowe said the committee plans to compile a report for the minister. “I think the suggestion of milk or water drinks featuring on school menus should be part of that report,” he said. 

He also asked for the suggestion that more Irish products be “stitched” into the report, as well as raising the 10% organic requirement.