New schools pay to get rid of snack machines
February 18, 2008 by Joe Fogarty
A NUMBER of newly built schools trying to enforce healthy eating have been forced to pay compensation to developers to remove vending machines, according to the Sunday Independant.
Sunday Independent article today, Sunday 17th February 2008:
“New schools pay to get rid of snack machines”
The five schools, built as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the National Maritime College and the Cork School of Music, all gave the developers rights to install vending machines and claim profits from them.
However, as part of a national move towards more healthy eating, a number of the schools have sought to replace the vending machines with more healthy options.
The schools have learned that, because of the deals agreed between the Department of Education and the various developers, they have to pay the developers compensation to remove the vending machines.
The department has since changed the rules for any future PPP school building, giving the school full autonomy to determine its own policy on vending machines.
The details emerged in a parliamentary question from Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes.
“It is an absolute disgrace that a school should have to pay compensation to developers to get rid of vending machines. All this talk of promoting healthy eating by (Education Minister Mary) Hanafin is a joke. Terrible mistakes have been made and while they have been corrected, they show up the lack of thought within government,” he said.
The department has refused to comment on the situation, other than to say that in future projects of this nature, the right of refusal on vending machines will ultimately rest with the schools.
In contrast, the Sunday Independent has learned that a number of the country’s fee-paying schools have brought in top outside chefs to improve the quality of food on offer to their students.
Loreto Abbey, Dalkey, for example, has introduced an outside chef.
Chef and businesswoman Joy Vickers, who previously worked at the very popular luxury Avoca foods, now supplies food at lunchtime and after school.
The scheme, which was the brainchild of the school’s principal, Mr Robert Dunne, coincided with the abolition of vending machines on the school grounds, in the hope of ensuring pupils are eating healthy foods.
The students are given an option of salads, home-made soups, wraps and healthy fruit drinks, as well as a selection of hot meals for after school.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Dunne said: “Even though she doesn’t work there anymore, Joy offers all the fine trappings and qualities of Avoca. The girls here are picky about their food and would turn their noses up at a lot of stuff.
“The food they’re being given is of the highest quality and is sold at cheaper price than other similar outlets in the area.”
Loreto Abbey doesn’t have a dedicated kitchen preparation area, so Ms Vickers prepares the food at her own shop in Dun Laoghaire and brings it in every day. This was a bonus for the school because it didn’t have to assume the costs of installing a kitchen or worry about insurance.
“Joy offers a package which is very attractive for us. If we had to worry about all the insurance and health and safety, we wouldn’t be able to do this. The most important thing is that the girls are given access to good quality home-made food.”
Mr Dunne said that not only has the scheme been a hit with the pupils, but many members of staff are also eating the foods.
The school’s transition years also run a breakfast club, offering tea, toast, cereals and fruit to early arrivals.
