School may be out for summer – for secondary students at least – but a new pilot scheme is delivering food to young people throughout the country who otherwise may not have access to a substantial daily meal throughout the school holidays.

The Summer 2025 Holiday Meals Pilot Programme was launched last week and will see young people in over 40 youth services nationwide receive meals throughout June, July and August.

Administered by Education and Training Boards in 19 counties, from Cavan to Cork and Donegal to Wexford, the scheme is being rolled out by the UBU Your Place Your Space Youth Services, a national scheme that funds youth services for young people aged 10 to 24.

Welcoming the scheme, Minister for Education Helen McEntee TD said the initiative was part of the Government’s wider plan to end child poverty.

“When the schools close for the summer, some young people lose access to regular hot meals,” she says.

“This pilot programme will help make sure that doesn’t happen this summer. This programme is about looking after children and young people, especially those who need extra support during the school holidays.

“I am extremely grateful to the youth services and staff taking part in this important work. Their support will make a tangible difference to the lives of so many young people this summer.”

A total of 41 UBU-funded youth services across 16 ETB areas have signed up to take part in the pilot scheme. Young people will receive meals that will be cooked on site, where facilities allow. Otherwise the food will be delivered to the centres each day.

This programme is about looking after children and young people, especially those who need extra support during the school holidays

The scheme will be independently evaluated from start to finish with a review determining whether or not the pilot programme will be expanded in future years.

Youth services in Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Sligo, Tipperary, Westmeath, and Wicklow are all participating in the initiative which is being developed by the Department of Education and Youth, in conjunction with the Child Poverty and Well-Being Office in the Department of the Taoiseach.