Over €4 million is being allocated for the nutritious meal scheme.
25,000 pre-school children in disadvantaged areas will be soon able to avail of free lunches.
The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley is allocating over €4 million for the nutritious meal scheme for those attending early learning and care services.
The Bia Blasta programme, which is being introduced to tackle child food poverty, reducing the risk of children going hungry or missing meals, will be available in 16 facilities in Laois, 18 in Offaly and 17 in Westmeath.
Minister Foley says "there is very strong evidence that giving nutritious lunches to children in disadvantaged areas will combat the risk of hunger as well as improving their attention levels and overall wellbeing. Bia Blasta is another very positive initiative under the Equal Start model, which is delivering crucial supports to children attending early learning and care and school age childcare in disadvantaged areas."
A total of €3.2 million is available to deliver the programme in 2025. €1m is also being made available up to the end of this year for services participating in Bia Blasta to purchase approved items up to a value of €1,000 per service to enable them to deliver the pre-school nutrition programme. This will include equipment such as a fridge, freezer, dishwasher, hob, or oven.
Bia Blasta will be provided to all existing Equal Start-funded services in the free, universal two-year preschool Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE). This is expected to cater for around 15,000 children
In addition to these existing services with a priority designation under Equal Start, the Equal Start Identification Model will be drawn upon to target additional ECCE- only services that are serving high numbers of children experiencing disadvantage . This is expected to cater for another 10,000 children.
All early learning and care and school-age childcare services in Ireland are required by legislation to provide meals, with the type and frequency of meals dependent on the hours per day a child attends. Children in full day care (over 5 hours) must, for example, receive 2 meals and 2 snacks each day by regulation whereas children in the 3-hour free pre-school programme typically bring lunch boxes from home.
The Bia Blasta programme will be the first time that dedicated funding is provided for children who attend the 3-hour free pre-school programme, and who typically bring lunch boxes from home.
Laois:
Birchgrove Childcare (Laois Partnership Company)
Graiguecullen Parish Childcare Centre CLG
Kiddiecare Early Years Childcare
Laois International School
Lisduff Adventure Farm
Lisgorm services ltd t/a Leanbh mo Chroi
Majella's Montessori School
Maples 2
Mountmellick Youth & Family Resource Centre
O'Moore Place Childcare
Ria's Kids Academy
Suaimhneas Community Childcare
The Hive @ Maples
The Orchard Childminding Service
Tir Na Nog
Tots and Co. Playschool
Offaly:
Castleview Pre-school
Cherrytots Playschool
Daingean Community Childcare Services Ltd.
Kilcormac Community Childcare
LAUGH & LEARN CHILDCARE
Little Blooms
LNAN Limited
Mad Hatters Afterschool
Memory Lane Preschool LTD
Playdays Nature School
Pullough Community Pre-school
Rainbowland Childcare
Rainbows and Butterflies Early Learning Centre
Re Scoil Iosagain
River's Edge Afterschool Care
Skippy's Creche & Playschool
Sunflowers Shinrone
Tullamore Community Pre-school
Westmeath:
Battery Heights After School Service
Brawny Community Centre
Dalton Community House
Grovelands Childcare
Marian Corbett & Valja McCabe Pre School
Na Fea Montessori Preschool
Naionra Lios na Nog
Sarsfield Pre-School
Shannon Pre-School
St. Kierans Childcare Centre
St. Mary's After School (Harmony CDP)
St. Pauls After School Service
St. Peter's Primary School
Sundancers Montessori
Sunny Days Playschool
Westmeath Community Development Ltd. (WCDL) Mullingar Afterschool - Rathgowan After School
Women's Community Projects (Mullingar) Association CLG
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