Coeliacs 'struggling to afford food products'

The Coeliac Society of Ireland is today the Government to reverse its decision to stop gluten-free foods becoming available free-of-charge to medical card patients.

A special seminar is being held in the Glenroyal Hotel in Maynooth in Co Kildare today to celebrate Gluten Free World Day.

There are over 40,000 coeliacs in Ireland and the event will include information on new gluten-free products coming onto the market - as well as cookery demonstrations.

Spokesperson for the group Emma Clarke Conway says many coeliac patients are struggling to afford the products for their special diet.

"We actually did a price comparison this week on foods and we could see that an 800g pan, brown or white pan, of a normal, everyday brand that you only would be around €3.30,"

"So there's a sizeable difference in price, and this is posing a difficulty to people who are particularly vulnerable right now."