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The Government Has Approved Over €5.5 Million To Fund Free Hot Lunches At Deis Primary Schools

Sunday, 6 December 2020 12:43

The scheme will be rolled out across Ireland

The free lunch scheme has been 'upgraded' to include hot meals including roast beef, beef stroganoff, and roast chicken dinners.

Thousands of Leeside students in Deis schools across Cork are set to benefit from the announcement, with 36,000 pupils to make use of the scheme nationwide.

Following a pilot scheme of 36 primary schools during the last academic year, the hot meals will be rolled out from the beginning of 2021. 

Speaking to RedFM News, CEO of Fresh Today Ray Nangle says with Covid measures in place, and the winter months rolling in, the timing couldn't be better:

'With additional Covid measures within schools where extra ventilation is needed and there's windows being left open and doors are left open and that's what's keeping the schools open that's what's keeping the infection rate down within the schools. But it does bring in an added strain to the students whereby, they're not in in very warm classrooms anymore so having a warm nutritious meal in their belly in the middle of the day is going to be very very beneficial and as I said the rollout this year is going to happen in January and February. And so it will happen at a time when it is most needed.'

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