School Meals during COVID-19 closures - IPPN / INTO Joint Statement

The Department of Education and Skills (DES) has confirmed that the School Meals Scheme will resume from this week, with some notable changes.

 

Following the latest restrictions announced by the Government on Friday, The DES have confirmed that either An Post or local community/voluntary groups, via a Community Champion in each county, may assist schools with the delivery of food to vulnerable pupils under the scheme. Each county has a Community Champion whose role is to direct queries and requests for assistance to local community and voluntary groups.


INTO and the IPPN are advising school principals and Home School Community Liaison Teachers, whose Boards of Management have decided how the scheme will operate in their school, to liaise with school completion services to ensure that pupils from all families who wish to avail of the school meals scheme during the coming weeks, receive the food once a week.

 

INTO and the IPPN wish to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of school principals, and all those working within their school, who continue to implement exceptional measures for the benefit of primary school pupils in these unprecedented times.

 

It is important that all of our members adhere to the advice of government regarding physical distancing, while supporting the school meals initiative.

 

Important Note: Effective 6pm, on Monday 30 March, school buildings will no longer be accessible to school staff until Easter Sunday April 12 (except in the case of school staff who are involved in planning for the distribution of school meals to vulnerable pupils).

 

 

 

DES Guidance to schools

Click here to view a copy of the letter sent to schools

 

Local Champions:

Carlow
Paula Hughes
086 0439172
phughes@carlowdevelopment.ie

Cavan
Barbara Kearns
087 7373810
bkearns@ccld.ie

Clare
Gloria Callinan
086 8534330
gcallinan@cldc.ie

Cork
Niall Walsh
087 1852438
niall@avondhublackwater.com

Donegal
Frank Kelly
086 8178854
fkelly@dldc.org

Dublin
Larry O'Neill
087 2800424
larry.oneill@sdcpartnership.ie

Galway
Delia Colohan
086 8237320
dcolahan@gmail.com

Kerry
Dave Fitzgibbons
087 9379121
davefitzgibbon@gmail.com

Kildare
Conor O'Leary
086 6000753
conor@muintir.ie

Kilkenny
Jenny Cooke
087 9546368
jenny.cooke@frmcgrathcentre.ie

Laois
Catherine Cowap
057 8661900
catherinecowap@laoispartnership.ie

Leitrim
Karen Dolan
087 7167593
kdolan@ldco.ie

Limerick
Damien Aherne
087 9042477
damien.ahern@wlr.ie

Longford
Karen Reilly
086 4183435
mentor@lwl.ie

Louth
Ciaran Reid
086 8234877
ciaran.reid@cllp.ie

Mayo
Caroline Wilson
086 2899296
wcaroline79@gmail.com

Meath
Patricia Cassidy
086 0849265
patricia@locallinklmf.ie

Monaghan
Jonathan Maxwell
087 1952433
jmaxwell@midl.ie

Offaly
Michael Duignan
087 2241211
chairperson.offaly@gaa.ie

Roscommon
Niamh Nolan
085 1265195
niamhnolan13@gmail.com

Sligo
Donna Taaffe
087 2710111
dtaaffe@sligoleader.com

Tipperary
Margaret Quinn
086 600 0754.
mquinn@muintir.ie

Waterford
Vincent Mernin
086 0206005
vincent.mernin@wlp.ie

Westmeath
Fiona Murphy
087 3840967
fimurph78@gmail.com

Wexford
Claire Ryan
087 2807736
cryan@wld.ie

Wicklow
Brian Carty
086 3898461
bcarty@wicklowpartnership.ie

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