Progression of bill on nutritional standards for school meals welcomed
The progression of a bill aiming to ensure nutritional standards for school meals has been welcomed.
The School Meals Nutritional Standards Bill 2026, introduced by Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins in the Dáil this week, is progressing to second stage.
Deputy Cummins said the bill is focused on ensuring that "every child who receives a school meal through a state-funded scheme can be confident that the food provided meets clear, evidence-based nutritional standards".
“The expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme has been one of the most significant social policy developments of recent years," she said.
"Thousands of children across Ireland now benefit from a hot meal during the school day.
“As this programme continues to grow, it is essential that the nutritional quality of those meals is protected and placed on a clear statutory footing."
Deputy Cummins said the bill would require the Minister for Health to introduce regulations establishing nutritional standards and related requirements for school meals.
"These regulations would address matters such as age-appropriate portion sizes, the balance of food groups within meals, cooking methods, permitted drinks and the availability of dietary options," the Dublin South-Central TD explained.
"The legislation would also ensure that these standards are enforceable through the Food Safety Authority of Ireland."
National Dairy Council
The National Dairy Council (NDC) has welcomed the progression of the bill, saying it "presents an important opportunity to strengthen the nutritional value of school meals".
Dr. Mary Harrington, senior nutritionist with the NDC, said: “The Hot School Meals Programme is an excellent initiative.
"As it continues to grow, the focus must be on ensuring it delivers strong nutritional value for children.
"We are pleased to see healthy drinks included in this discussion.
"A hot school meal should include both food and something suitable to drink."
Dr. Harrington said childhood and adolescence are critical years for growth and bone development.
She said that including milk with school meals would be a "simple, practical step to support children’s health and help build positive lifelong habits".
"Milk provides eight key nutrients, including calcium, protein, iodine and B vitamins," she explained.
"At a time when only 4% of Irish teenagers are meeting recommended dairy intakes and 51% are deficient in calcium, this matters."
The NDC said the bill is a "timely opportunity" to ensure school food policy better reflects children’s nutritional needs.
