A SCHEME which provides free meals to schoolchildren during the summer months will be extended in Ireland this year.
Following its introduction across the country in 2025, the Summer Holiday Meals initiative will be enhanced this year to support more young people during the school summer holidays.
Increased funding of €600k has been allocated for the initiative in 2026, up from €500k last year, Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton confirmed this week.
The free hot meals scheme will launch next week (Pic: Gov.ie)The meals are distributed at Your Place Your Space (UBU)-funded youth services, and the extra cash will enable the programme to expand from 41 service providers to 77 this year.
Launching on June 2, the scheme will provide “hot or substantial meals to young people aged 10 to 18 attending participating youth services throughout the summer months”, the department for education has confirmed.
“The Summer Meals Programme was an important initiative in the UBU sector in 2025, and the evaluation of the pilot has clearly demonstrated its positive impact on tackling food poverty and supporting young people through youth work services,” Minister Naughton said.
“I am very pleased to confirm that the programme will continue in 2026 with increased funding of €600k allowing us to expand participation from 41 to 77 youth services across the country,” she added.
“I want to sincerely thank the education and training boards and youth services involved for their continued commitment to supporting the wellbeing of young people in their communities.
“The experience of last year’s pilot, together with the findings of the independent evaluation, will help shape the future development of this programme.
"Ensuring that young people have access to nutritious food during the summer months is an important part of supporting their wellbeing, development and participation.”
Last year’s pilot scheme supported more than 5,000 young people who were at risk of going without a hot or substantial meal during the holidays.
Meals are provided throughout June, July and August.
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