Revealed: the 17 Wicklow primary schools added to Hot School Meals scheme

An additional 17 primary schools in County Wicklow have been added to the Hot School Meals scheme, an expansion of the programme that was first introduced in 2003.

A plan was approved by the Government in March last year to expand free hot school meals to all schools at primary and post-primary level, after hot meals became part of the initiative in 2019, starting with a pilot scheme of just 37 schools.

With the announcement by Wicklow Taoiseach Simon Harris and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys on Monday, April 15, that the Hot School Meals scheme is now being rolled out to an additional 900 primary schools, it means 17 primary schools in Wicklow are also set to benefit.

From the initial pilot scheme, the number of schools grew to more than 500. Following today’s announcement that number will stand at more than 1,400 schools.

The list of schools in Wicklow that have been added to the scheme are:

• Lacken Mxd NS
• Moin An Bhealaigh NS
• Delgany NS
• Glebe Ns
• Caoimhin Naofa NS
• Donard NS
• Hollywood NS
• Coolfancy NS
• Padraig Naofa NS
• SN Naomh Brid
• Stratford Lodge NS
• St Francis NS
• Gaelscoil An Inbhir Mhoir
• SN Mhuire Senior School
• Wicklow Educate Together NS
• Gaelscoil Na Lochanna
• Woodstock Educate Together National School

Speaking following the announcement this morning, the Taoiseach, who is from Greystones, said: “Making sure every child receives hot school meals is a top priority of mine. I am so proud of this programme. It is one of the things that is mentioned to me most as I visit communities across the country.

“I am delighted that an extra 17 primary

schools in my own county are set to receive hot school meals. We launched Hot School Meals as a pilot five years ago and it has seen huge demand ever since. Today’s expansion to an additional 150,000 children means that over 316,000 children can now receive a nutritious, hot meal during their school day.

“To the schools who have not yet signed up to this successful programme, I want them to know Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys is opening a new round of Expressions of Interest to allow for a further expansion of the programme.”

“As Taoiseach, I will focus on helping families in County Wicklow and across the country. Today’s announcement is just one of the ways I am planning to do this,” he concluded.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has the ambition to have all children receiving hot school meals by 2025.

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