Humphreys to prioritise hot school meals plan but plays down €20 rise in welfare rates

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys

Further funding to facilitate the complete rollout of the hot school meals programme will be sought in the upcoming budget, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has said.

Speaking at the annual pre-budget forum, Ms Humphreys said she wanted to take specific “targeted measures” in the upcoming budget.

“For example, I have started to roll out a very successful hot school meals programme. I’d like to finish that,” Ms Humphreys said.

“All primary school children will receive a hot school meal in the middle of the day.

“It takes such pressure off families in terms of putting together a lunch for them. That’s just one measure that I’d like to finish that out.” 

Ms Humphreys said it was her “goal” for the upcoming budget to ensure that funding was secured to allow any school that wishes to engage with the scheme can.

At present, there are 2,000 primary schools involved in the hot school meals scheme. A further expression of interest has been issued to the estimated 1,000 remaining primary schools to apply for the programme.

Social welfare package to focus on 'most vulnerable'

Asked about what she would be pushing for in the upcoming budget, Ms Humphreys said she wanted the social welfare package to be focused on the “most vulnerable”.

“We will put together a package that focuses on our most vulnerable, which I consider to be our carers, people with disabilities, working families and of course our pensioners,” Ms Humphreys.

Questioned if a €20 rise in social welfare rates would be possible, Ms Humphreys played down the prospect as it would cost the taxpayer “almost €2bn”.

“It doesn’t be long adding up but what we will do, we’ll do the same as we do every year. We sit down and we work out a budget that is targeted at those who are most vulnerable.” 

On cost-of-living measures, Ms Humphreys said that she would be “ambitious" in her ask, while adding that inflationary pressures have dropped off.

“I’m very aware that when you go to the supermarket, the cost of doing the weekly shop is still considerably higher than it was some time ago,” Ms Humphreys said.