Committee Reports::Report - Appropriation Accounts 1953 - 1954::20 June, 1956::Appendix


	HOME Baile
	COMMITTEE REPORTS Tuasascálacha Coistí

Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1956 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1953 - 1954

APPENDIX XVI.

MEMORANDA AND TABULAR STATEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL MEALS SCHEME.

(1)

OPINION OF THE LEGAL ADVISER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE.

Secretary.

1. In my opinion, Article 8 of the Education (School Meals) Regulations, 1927, is ultra vires the Education (Provision of Meals) Acts, 1914 to 1917, in as much as under the 1917 Act the regulations are to be made only for the purpose of securing that the arrangements for the provision of food are adequate and are carried out efficiently.

2. In my opinion, a local authority authorised under Section 3 of the 1914 Act has power, notwithstanding Section 2, to provide meals without charge to children unable by reason of lack of food to take full advantage of the education provided for them.

(Initialled) B. K.

15th October, 1955.

(2)

Cléireach,

An Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblí,

At the proceedings of the Committee of Public Accounts on the 21st March 1956, I undertook to furnish further information in connection with the administration of the School Meals Scheme. A Memorandum and Tabular Statement are accordingly forwarded herewith.

(Signed) P. J. KEADY,

Secretary,

Department of Social Welfare.

2 Bealtaine, 1956.

EDUCATION (PROVISION OF MEALS), ACTS 1914 TO 1930.

1.—Increase in cost of School Meals.—The cost of the provision of meals (excluding administration), under the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1914 to 1930, increased from £126,331 15s. 6d. in the year 1947/48 to £165,179 14s. 6d. in the year 1954/55, a difference of £38,847 19s. 0d. Half the cost was met by payments out of the Exchequer. During the same period, administration costs, met in full by the local authorities, increased from £8,204 13s. 8d. to £10,092 15s. 5d.

The increase in the cost of the scheme falls under two headings—the increased cost of food and an increase in the number of meals issued under the scheme. An important factor in the increased cost of food was the withdrawal, in August, 1950, and February, 1951, respectively, of the subsidies on butter and flour. The increase in the number of meals arose from the provision of meals for an additional 2,496 children in 15 extra schools (principally in the Dublin area) during the period.

2.—The degree of supervision of the scheme.—(a) By the Department of Social Welfare. The local authorities operating school-meals schemes are required to furnish, to the Department, annual estimates of proposed expenditure on the scheme and to furnish returns of actual expenditure at six-monthly intervals. In addition, they must furnish annual reports, compiled by the school authorities, giving detailed information as to the type of meal supplied, the numbers of children participating, and the arrangements for the serving of the meal. Tenders for the supply of foodstuffs, obtained locally by the local authorities, are also submitted to the Department for approval. The foregoing are examined in the Department and the costings and details are compared with the information supplied in the preceding year. Where there is an indication of increased expenditure, differing from their estimate and not related to normal increases in the price of foodstuffs, or where there is any other material change, an explanation is sought from the local authority. Such cases are comparatively rare but typical examples are—an increase in the number of children certified to be in need of the meals; an alteration in the school curriculum necessitating the supply of extra meals, or an improvement in the type of meal.

The operation of the scheme may be inspected by officers of the Department and such an inspection was carried out in the Dublin City area some years ago, following complaints of waste of foodstuffs. Normally, the necessity for such inspections does not arise. It is a usual feature of the duties of City and County Medical Officers of Health to inspect the operation of the scheme or to advise on the quality of the foodstuffs and to furnish reports on any matters requiring comment. In some cases, annual reports are furnished to the local authority. In recent years, due to the implementation of the Health Acts, the inspection of schools by Medical Officers has become infrequent in some areas.

Finally, the accounts of the local authority are examined annually by Local Government Auditors, who furnish special certificates to this Department certifying that the expenditure on school meals was properly disbursed in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations.

(b) By the Local Authorities. Competitive tenders are obtained for the supply of foodstuffs for each school year in many areas but where cocoa is used it is obtained under the Combined Purchasing arrangements at the price approved by the Department of Local Government. Preliminary returns furnished by School Managers indicating the number of children in each school regarded as in need of the meal are used by the local authority to determine what maximum number of meals per day should be provided in each school. In Dublin, any necessary adjustment caused by a reduction in the number of children is made at monthly intervals. At the end of each school-year, detailed reports are obtained from each School Manager or principal teacher as to the working of the scheme in each school and these are subsequently transmitted to the Department.

The method of direct supervision of the scheme varies in different areas. In Dublin, visits of inspection to the schools are made at different times by a Sub-Committee of the City Council; by an officer of the Corporation and by the City Medical Officer. In addition, the quality of the foodstuffs is subject to frequent examination by Medical Inspectors. In other areas, supervision is exercised variously by officers of the Council; by Health Inspectors; by School Medical Nurses; by a school meals committee and by the Medical Officers.

3.—Resolution by local authority, under Section 3 of the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1914.—The County Management Act, 1940 defines the powers, functions and duties (known as the “reserved functions”) which are to be performed by every Council of a County and every elective body (including the Corporation of a borough and an urban district council). The Act prescribes that every power, function and duty which is not a reserved function shall be an executive function to be performed by the County Managers.

The resolution by the local authority that any of the children attending a national school within their area are unable by reason of lack of food to take full advantage of the education provided for them, required under the provisions of Section 3 of the Education (Provision of Meals) Act, 1914, is not defined in the County Management Act, 1940 as a reserved function and is, therefore, an executive function to be performed by the County Manager.

4.—Wording of Narration to Subhead E, Vote 62, Social Assistance.—Examination of the wording used in Part III of the Estimate indicates that the words “under statutory regulations,” appearing therein, are unnecessary and may convey a wrong impression. It has been decided, therefore, to omit these words from the narration in future.

Department of Social Welfare,

Dublin.

EDUCATION (PROVISION OF MEALS) ACTS, 1914 TO 1930.

Area				No. of Schools participating	Average No. of children	Total cost of the provision of meals in area.			Actual cost of each meal (pence).	Type of Meal supplied.
						£	s.	d.
Co. Boroughs:
Cork	..	..	..	24	3,826	5,000	0	0	2d. per child allocated by Corpn.	(a) Bun with milk or cocoa; (b) bread and jam with milk.
Dublin	..	..	..	153	39,483	140,717	2	8	(a) 4·23; (b) 3·5	(a) Milk with sandwiches of bread and butter, meat, cheese or jam or bun; (b) Meat and vegetable stew or soup. Rice on Fridays (6 schools).
Limerick		..	..	13	1,009	4,152	2	5	(a) 4·708 (winter) (b) 4·208 (summer)	Milk (half a pint) with bread and butter.
Waterford		..	..	10	870	387	16	3	3d.	Milk and currant bun.
Urban Districts:
An Uaimh		..	..	3	202	512	8	6	5d.	Buttered bun and milk.
Athlone		..	..	3	135	150	15	6	2d.	Cocoa, bread and jam.
Athy	..	..	..	2	480	294	16	2	2·5d.	Cocoa and bun.
Ballina		..	..	4	365	847	15	10	3d. (summer) 3¼d. (winter)	Bun and milk.
Birr	..	..	..	2	155	239	18	0	(a) 1·4d.; (b) ·8d.	(a) Cocoa with bread and butter (winter);
										(b) bread and butter (summer).
Bray	..	..	..	4	850	1,462	8	8	(a) 2d.; (b) 2½d.; (c) 3·8d.	(a) Cocoa and current bun; (b) cocoa with bread and butter; (c) milk with bread and butter.
Bundoran		..	..	1	76	77	18	8	2·64d.	Bread and butter with cocoa.
Carlow	..	..	..	5	364	342	19	10	*1·29d.	Cocoa with bread and jam.
Cavan	..	..	..	1	8	89	18	0	(a) 8½d.; (b) 6d.	(a) Milk (1 pint) and bun (summer); (b) cocoa and bun (winter).
Ceanannus Mór			..	1	90	134	2	8	2d.	Cocoa with bread and butter.
Clones		..	..	3	61	181	11	7	1·93d.	Cocoa with bread and butter.
Clonmel		..	..	4	281	1,021	16	0	*4·30d.	Cocoa with bread and butter.
Cobh	..	..	..	2	158	258	15	1	(a) 4·1; (b) 1·15	(a) Cocoa and bun (1 school); (b) lunch provided by Penny Dinner Centre. Bread paid for.
Cootehill		..	..	2	24	83	11	5	*2·58d.	Milk and bun.
Drogheda		..	..	8	870	1,801	7	5	3d.	Cocoa and bun.
Dundalk		..	..	6	764	1,618	3	4	4¼d. to 4½d.	Milk and bun.
Dungarvan		..	..	6	346	563	5	5	*4·04d.	Milk with bread and butter.
Dún Laoire		..	..	8	1,155	4,221	9	2	4·266d.	Milk, bun. Sandwiches of cheese, meat or jam (as in Dublin).
Ennis	..	..	..	3	338	240	1	11	4d.	Cocoa and bun.
Enniscorthy		..	..	3	358	915	17	5	3¾d.	Milk with bread and jam.
Fermoy		..	..	1	55	116	3	0	2·52d.	Cocoa with bread and jam.
Kilkenny		..	..	9	493	582	19	10	*1·39d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and jam; (b) 1 school—soup 4 days weekly.
Killarney		..	..	3	240	220	10	4	(a) 74d.; (b) 1·34d.	(a) Bread and butter (summer); (b) bread, butter milk and cocoa (winter).
Kilrush		..	..	3	192	145	8	4	2·72d.	Milk and bun.
Kinsale		..	..	3	44	74	11	7	2·08d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and jam; (b) milk, bread and jam.
Letterkenny		..	..	3	22	90	11	4	5·06d.	Cocoa, bread and butter.
Listowel		..	..	2	140	60	0	0	(a) 4d.; (b) 4½d.	(a) Milk with sweetened bun; (b) cocoa, bread and butter.
Longford		..	..	2	186	196	16	10	(a) 3d.; (b) 2¼d.	(a) Stew (4 days); (b) cocoa, bread and jam (1 day)
Mallow		..	..	2	158	296	17	2	2·29d.	Milk and bun.
Midleton		..	..	2	115	91	19	8	2·02d.	Cocoa and bun.
Monaghan		..	..	2	102	320	2	4	*3·00d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and jam (winter); (b) milk, bread and jam (summer).
Naas	..	..	..	2	226	291	19	10	4·8d.	Cocoa, bread and butter.
Nenagh		..	..	3	231	360	14	9	3·96d.	Cocoa, bread and butter.
New Ross		..	..	4	310	589	6	4	2·1d.	(a) Cocoa and bun (winter); (b) milk and bun (summer).
Sligo	..	..	..	6	1,184	1,058	0	4	1·16d.	Bun only.
Templemore		..	..	2	115	182	16	1	4·3d.	Cocoa, bread and butter.
Thurles		..	..	2	148	496	16	7	(a) 2·47d.; (b) 3d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and butter; (b) Cocoa or milk with bread and butter.
Tralee	..	..	..	5	820	961	17	3	4·71d.	Milk, bread and butter.
Trim	..	..	..	1	65	136	6	4	4d.	Milk and bun.
Tullamore		..	..	2	191	238	17	0	2·45d.	Cocoa and bun.
Wexford		..	..	5	372	500	7	11	*1·65d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and jam; (b) soup, potatoes and bread (1 school) at Penny Dinner Centre.
Wicklow		..	..	2	106	295	17	5	*5·77d.	(a) Stew (3 days); (b) cocoa with bread and jam.
Youghal		..	..	2	193	234	6	5	2·4d.	Cocoa and bun.
Towns:
Balbriggan		..	..	3	110	204	0	1	*2·77d.	Cocoa and bread.
Ballyshannon		..	..	2	120	255	1	9	*1·96d.	Cocoa, bread and butter or jam.
Bandon		..	..	3	130	208	11	4	*1·87d.	(a) Cocoa and Barm Brack; (b) Barm Brack only—1 school.
Boyle	..	..	..	1	36	71	1	4	3·75d.	Cocoa, bread and jam.
Edenderry		..	..	2	240	117	16	10	2½d.	Milk only (½ pint.).
Gorey	..	..	..	2	120	142	2	9	5·56d.	Cocoa (1 pint) with sweetened bun.
Kilkee	..	..	..	2	100	39	16	3	1·5d.	Cocoa and bun.
Lismore		..	..	2	107	156	5	11	3·4d.	Cocoa and bun.
Muinebeag		..	..	2	134	81	10	9	(a) 2d.; (b) 1d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and butter; (b) cocoa only.
Mullingar		..	..	2	414	637	1	0	*1·55d.	(a) Cocoa, bread and butter; (b) milk, with bread and butter.
Newcastle West			..	1	12	27	7	0	2·86d.	Bread only.
Passage West			..	3	64	193	15	2	(a) 4½d.; (b) 4d.	(a) Cocoa and bun (2 schools); (b) milk and bun (1 school).
Portlaoise		..	..	2	120	207	2	8	1·68d.	Cocoa, bread and butter.
Roscommon		..	..	1	50	78	19	9	*2·94d.	Cocoa, bread and jam.

Department of Social Welfare, Dublin.

*Estimated average cost.