EA clarifies use of halal chicken in school canteens after 'misinformation'

Education officials have clarified the use of halal chicken in Northern Ireland school canteens after what they described as "misinformation" circulating online.

The Education Authority (EA), which oversees schools, said it was putting out the information as it had been "singled out for online commentary" at the start of the new school term.

The authority said that the decision to serve some halal chicken as part of school meals was mainly down to supplies of chicken.

Halal (Arabic for permissible) food is prepared according to strict Islamic dietary laws, as defined in the Quran, which forbid the consumption of pork or alcohol; halal meat requires a prescribed method of animal slaughter.

The Islamic form of slaughtering animals or poultry, dhabiha, involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe.

Animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood is drained from the carcass. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication, know as tasmiya or shahada.

There is debate about elements of halal, such as whether stunning is allowed. UK law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter unless the meat is intended for Muslims or Jews.

The EA had previously sent a letter to schools in December 2025 on the poultry and meat used in its catering service but has now issued a further statement in response to what it called "inaccurate claims" circulating online.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, it said: "We source fresh chicken through a Northern Irish supplier who buys the poultry from various countries, including Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, UK and international markets.

"During our engagement with suppliers, it was made clear to us that the quantities of chicken we require cannot be met solely through the supply of non-halal chicken."

The EA said it faced a choice between buying "the chicken that we need where it is available while adhering to quality and welfare standards", or curtailing menu choice.

The authority said that some of the chicken served in schools on any given day may be halal-certified, but that halal-certified chicken was not being used across all schools.

"We have never taken a decision to replace non-halal chicken with halal chicken across all schools or to introduce blanket provision of halal-certified products for all pupils regardless of faith.

"The halal-certified chicken we buy is slaughtered in the same way as non-halal chicken.

"It is stunned prior to slaughter."

The cost of school dinners has recently risen by almost 20% but the EA said that it was not paying extra to buy halal chicken.

The DUP MP Carla Lockhart had previously expressed concern about the use of halal meat in school meals.

"This is a worrying position given the very real concerns many people have about halal slaughter on both animal welfare and religious grounds," she said in a social media post in March.

"Northern Ireland has one of the strongest agri-food sectors anywhere in Europe.

"It is therefore difficult to understand why our schools, hospitals and wider public sector cannot prioritise locally-produced food, particularly when we export large quantities of high-quality produce every year."

The Education Minister Paul Givan said that while he is aware of concerns raised by people, he said he trusts they will be reassured by the answers received from the EA.

"I understand that the chicken are all slaughtered and stunned the same," he told Good Morning Ulster.

"So the humanitarian issue in respect of chicken, I don't believe there is any differential, but it comes to this prayer aspect of it."

He added the chicken supplied in schools follows all of the highest regulatory standards in the United Kingdom and in Europe.