Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1957

Meals in national schools.

3.—(1) Section 3 of the Education (Provision of Meals) (Ireland) Act, 1914 , is hereby amended by the deletion of “authorise them to spend out of the rates such sum as will meet the cost of the provision of such food” and the substitution therefor of “, notwithstanding anything contained in section 1 or section 2 of this Act, authorise them to provide free of charge, or to meet the whole or part of the cost of the provision free of charge of, meals for those children attending that school”.

(2) Section 1 of the Education (Provision of Meals) (Ireland) Act, 1917, is hereby amended by—

(a) the substitution of “expenses incurred pursuant to an authorisation” for “the cost of the provision of food” where the latter words occur in subsection (1),

(b) the substitution of “expenses incurred pursuant to an authorisation” for “the provision of food” where the latter words occur firstly in subsection (2), and

(c) the substitution of “meals” for “food” where the latter word occurs secondly in subsection (2).

(3) Where any expenditure was incurred before the commencement of this Act by a local authority within the meaning of the Education (Provision of Meals) Acts, 1914 to 1930, in providing free of charge, or meeting the whole or part of the provision free of charge of, meals for children attending a national school, that expenditure and any contribution thereto made out of the Exchequer shall be deemed to be and always to have been valid and proper.