Lobby groups warn of growing food poverty risks

Almost one-fifth (19.4 per cent) of the population is at risk of food poverty and the issue is getting worse, a new lobby group has warned.

The Healthy Food For All initiative, which was founded by the Combat Poverty Agency, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Crosscare in the past month, has called on the Government to tackle this "critical issue" in the forthcoming budget.

"Food poverty is getting increasing notice," according to initiative co-ordinator Sinéad Keenan.

She said that more than 5 per cent of people were unable to afford a substantial meal on at least one day out of every 14, while 4 per cent did without a meal containing meat, chicken or fish every second day.

The impact could be devastating in terms of health and life prospects, she said. "An awful lot of research underlines the health inequalities that result from a low income and poor diet - cardio-vascular diseases, cancers, obesity, higher mortality rates. Then children on poor diets do less well at school and adults take more sick leave from work."

The main issues for people on low incomes trying to eat healthy diets were availability, accessibility and affordability. Ms Keenan said that the focus of those on low incomes tended to be on ensuring that food was tasty and filling and less on health benefits.

The group is calling on the Government to increase welfare payments by a minimum of €20 a week for adults and €12 a week for children; to ensure that a hot school meal (or equivalent) is available to children from low-income households; to establish a €10 million fund for community food initiatives; and to ensure that low-income households benefit from increased competition in the grocery sector.