One of the starkest comments made at the conference of the Irish Primary Principals' Network last week related to the fact that teachers are encountering an increasing number of children who are coming to school hungry. One in five principals surveyed indicated that children are arriving at school without having eaten breakfast. This will come as no surprise to anyone in the House. There is an alarming rate of poverty among children. What is frightening is the figure contained in statistics released by the CSO last week which indicates that a further 35,000 children have fallen into the poverty trap. The increase in poverty has brought the problem of hungry schoolchildren to critical levels. These are not my words; they are the words of many school principals who discussed this problem on the radio last week. Teachers are reporting an increase in the number of children who are unable to concentrate and an exceptional rise in recent years in the number of pupils who have difficulties with literacy and numeracy.

While the school meals programme operated by the Department of Social Protection is doing some good, it addresses only a fraction of the problem. When I was elected, I made a promise to speak out and represent the many people who cannot speak for themselves. There are now 270,000 children in Ireland who suffer some degree of poverty and it is on their behalf that I speak today. Why am I doing so, particularly as I used my first appearance on Leaders' Questions also to raise the issue of poverty? Anyone who listened to a radio interview with Ms Maria Doyle, a school principal from Waterford, last week could not but be shocked by what she said about her experiences. I met Ms Doyle on Monday. I do not become distressed very easily, but having spoken to her for an hour I did become distressed.

Former Ministers and taoisigh - one of whom has abandoned Ireland and is living in Florida - are in receipt of huge pensions. Is this, which illustrates the inequality in our society, not reprehensible, offensive and shocking? In light of what principals and teachers, particularly those in primary schools, have stated, will the Taoiseach consider providing additional supports, including a further roll-out of the breakfast club scheme? Will he also consider the possibility of providing food to after-school homework clubs? This is what the principals and teachers to whom I refer are seeking. Would the Taoiseach consider establishing a national programme of emergency food aid to deal with the rapidly increasing numbers of children who are going to school hungry?

This is an issue that must be addressed. No child in this country should be hungry. I have visited schools and spoken to principals and I am aware that a child is unable to concentrate, study or learn properly if he or she is hungry. A couple of years ago, the principal of a school located not too far from these Houses took the unorthodox decision to involve the parents from surrounding housing estates whose children attended the school. Instead of sending their children to school with a fizzy drink and a couple of sweets, the mothers involved were encouraged to cook breakfast for them. For a very small charge, those mothers provided a decent breakfast for every child in the school. The result was an improvement in the students' concentration levels and their ability to study.

Perhaps we should get Starbucks involved.

Some €37 million will be spent on the school meals programme this year. A total of 192,000 children will receive meals under the programme. A further €2 million has been allocated in respect of the programme, which is an important consideration. However, I have been visited by parents who have made me aware that some of the wholesome sandwiches and meals delivered to certain schools each day are dumped because they are not used. There is an immorality to that. We must examine what is happening in respect of this matter. In the context of those who really might be hungry-----

It is everybody's fault but yours.

-----we must educate parents in respect of better methods of cooking. We must also seek to discover whether major food brands might become involved.

Feed them horse meat.

In addition, we must consider an extension of the breakfast club scheme. As already stated, however, it is not in the best interests of children that some of the food that is provided each day is being dumped.

Perhaps the Taoiseach should ask Ronald McDonald to deal with this problem.

There is a need for restructuring, in which the Ministers are very interested. The fact that €37 million is being spent on it this year - an increase of more than €2 million - and it will deal with almost 200,000 children shows that it is an issue of obvious concern to the Government and the Department. It is one that requires constant monitoring and discussion with principals and the Department. We will ensure that will happen.

It does not require constant monitoring; rather, it requires immediate action. I do not believe for one moment that the Taoiseach would accept that children should go to school hungry. I do not think he is that type of person and know that he knows that this is the case. We are maintaining levels of support for schools, but the problem is that there are more and more children going to school every year and more and more children falling into poverty. I am appealing to the Taoiseach to meet and sit down with primary school principals to listen to what they are saying. Is he aware that principals across the country are bringing in food for children? Is he aware that there are people presenting at soup kitchens? Deputy Thomas Pringle tells me that one is to be opened in Donegal and also in Sligo. People are going to them to get food to give to their children. I have a very simple request. If what school principals are saying is correct and I do not doubt them, will the Taoiseach and his Department meet them? We are not speaking about adults but about the most vulnerable people in our society - young children aged five, six and seven years who are going to school without breakfast and hungry. This cannot be tolerated by any of us in the House, irrespective of our political differences and views on what has happened to the economy or who created the problems in it. The immediate problem is that children are going to school at 8 a.m. before school starts at 9 a.m. in order that they might get something to eat, as was said on the airwaves last week. I am making an appeal to the Taoiseach; I am not arguing with him. I do not want to get into a big row with him on this matter. I appeal to him to meet principals to hear what they have to say. Deputy Finian McGrath is a former school principal and has met principals in recent weeks. They tell him that this is happening. We cannot tolerate it and must bring it to an end. I, therefore, ask the Taoiseach to at least meet principals to listen to what they have to say and do something for the young children concerned.

I am not interested in having a row with the Deputy. The point he has raised is very serious. School principals know the background and circumstances which cause such problems which are many and evident across a number of issues. It is a case of being able to have a flexible scheme. The Deputy is aware of the need for sensitive treatment of children in school, as no one want to see social barriers erected. It is a case of a principal having an understanding of the background to individual problems. That children are well fed and nourished is very important for their concentration levels and educational attainment. No child in an Irish school in 2013 should be hungry. It is a case of using the resources being expended where they will be most beneficial. It is not a case of meeting principals to hear from them what the Deputy is telling me; rather, it is a case of being able to use the resources available to best effect. I will discuss the issue with the Minister for Education and Skills following the meeting with principals from the association to which the Deputy referred.