Sorca Clarke TD asked the Minister for Social: School Meals Programme

Sorca Clarke, Sinn Féin TD for Longford Westmeath, raised a question in the Dáil on 18 June 2026 concerning the school meals programme. She asked the Minister for Social Protection to disclose how many meals were prepared but not taken up during the previous year because pupils were absent and the meals had not been cancelled in advance. Clarke also requested an estimate of the cost that such wasted meals represent to the Exchequer each year, and whether the minister will make a statement on the matter.

The school meals scheme is intended to provide free lunches for children across the country, but unused food can lead to unnecessary expenditure and waste. By seeking detailed figures, Clarke aims to bring greater transparency to how resources are allocated and used within the programme.

Clarke was born in Artane, Dublin, and moved with her husband Darran Caulfield to Mullingar during a period of economic growth, where she now resides. Her move reflects the broader demographic shifts that have affected many families in County Longford and neighbouring counties.

No response from the minister has yet been recorded. For full details of Clarke’s question, see the Oireachtas record of her speech.

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