THE review and overhaul of the Hot Schools Programme announced earlier this week couldn’t have come sooner for many frustrated parents and even school going children with  the new school year fully in gear.

The programme has been a bone of contention for many people and the findings from a study of the School Meals Scheme made for sobering reading showing that almost a fifth of hot school meals, which accounts for almost 100,000 are uneaten by pupils every day. One has to question why this is? There were also issues with portion sizes for different age groups.

Just last year the issue was raised at a meeting of Cork County Council. Cllr Ann Bambury had pointed out that the meals weren’t as healthy as they were led to believe. She made the startling point that a nutritionist found that up to 57 ingredients were found in one chicken curry served in a school.

She like many others queried how so many ingredients could be necessary for a simple meal and even Cork South West TD Michael Collins criticised the scheme describing the food as ‘gunk.’

One has to welcome Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary promise that a three-week standardised menu cycle and the introduction of a cold meal option will be considered.And so they should be, as these suggestions came from the very parents themselves, who want to see their children eating nutritious foods while in school.

It has to be quality food at the end of the day and maybe that’s why there has been so much waste. No one wants to eat less than quality meals and who could blame them?

Culture boost for teens

One of the more welcome proposals in the 2027 Budget is one set to benefit 70,000 teenagers: 16-year-olds would get a €100 grant to spend on music gigs, trips to the cinema, exhibitions and other arts and culture events. At an estimated first-year cost of €7.5 million, it seems a small price to pay to support cash-strapped teenagers and deliver long-term results. We’ve see the recent success of Culture Night. Culture is not an optional extra: it helps young people understand themselves, their communities and the wider world. It also supports local cinemas, theatres, music venues, galleries and arts organisations, many of which operate on thin margins.

Similar schemes are already in operation across the EU including in Spain, Germany and Italy. France’s Culture Pass has reached millions of young people, providing them with a whopping €300 arts and culture budget. Spending on books was especially popular, including mangas and comics, alongside cinema, music and other activities. But France’s experience also offers a useful warning: without careful design, vouchers may might just benefit young people who already think of themselves as culture vultures.

If it succeeds in Ireland, teenagers will discover a new favourite band, film or book and spend quality time with their friends as an alternative to scrolling on their phones. If it fails, at least they’ll have €100 to spend on something more exciting than a family lecture about “kids these days”.