A new food donation programme in Cork aims to create 100,000 meals for people suffering from food poverty.

A coalition of aid agencies and rights organisations has said the Government must significantly increase the number of refugees it has indicated it will take in.

An appeal to Catholic parishes to take in refugees could see several thousand families from Syria and other conflict countries rehomed across the country.

The country’s oldest food bank expects to break its own record this year in terms of the amount of food it dispenses, while doubling the number of community food initiatives due to unprecedented demand.

A report released yesterday has criticised the Department of Social Protection for the way it deals with some immigrants.

A report into the dealings of migrants with the Department of Social Protection has found instances of racism, abusive behaviour, and points to a high number of successful appeals.

Working families are being forced to turn to food banks to meet their basic needs.

More than one family a day has been made homeless in Dublin last month, new figures reveal.

Ireland’s response to the homeless crisis has been labelled "a widespread failure" by Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

Cork’s first food bank will open next year, with organising group Bia saying the initiative will provide access to tonnes of surplus food that otherwise would go to waste.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has made an urgent food appeal after a leading Catholic charity in Dublin told him it is having to turn away hungry people.

Supermarket chain Lidl says it could provide thousands of tonnes of surplus food stocks free to struggling families if enough charity food banks were set up to handle storage and distribution.

Shoppers are expected to storm the high streets today, as many stores open their doors for the St Stephens' Day sales.

Social welfare and child benefit rates must be maintained before the deepening divisions in society are embedded, it was claimed.

Should you find yourself at the Electric Picnic this weekend, do swing by the Theatre of Food (www.electricpicnic.ie/food).

Racism and discrimination towards foreign people living in Ireland is growing, but there is no official body recording statistics to see how prevalent the problem is.

The Dublin Diocese is collecting unwanted gifts for the sixth year in a row this year.

THAT extra pair of Christmas socks, that jumper you didn’t need, the book you have already read — there might just be a solution.

A Dublin church is collecting unwanted Christmas gifts to donate to those who may not have got any this year.

PAT GILROY won’t make a decision on his future as Dublin manager until next month.

A leading charity in Dublin has warned that demand for support, advice and hot food has increased by 40% in the last year.

THE closure of hostels housing separated children seeking asylum will not result in any tangible improvement in their lives unless their new living arrangements are carefully monitored, children’s rights groups have warned.

People have today been asked to donate their unwanted Christmas gifts to the homeless.

Homeless agency Crosscare said today it has extended the opening hours of its shelters in Dublin to cater for increased demand during the current cold spell.

A COUNSELLING service for troubled teenagers has seen a “significant increase” in self-harming and suicidal thoughts.

THE treatment of returning Irish emigrants who are being denied welfare payments due to the misapplication of a social welfare rule is “unjust and ironic”, an agency which has worked with emigrants since the 1950s has said.

WHILE legislation banning all mind-altering drugs is just days away from becoming law, manufacturers of head shop products are still busily churning out new drugs.

MIGRANT workers who become homeless experience “overt racism” from within the system and are not being provided with sufficient translation services, according to a homeless charity.

THIS week we saw, depending on how the dice falls for you, how different life in Ireland can be.

Cash-strapped parents are turning to soup kitchens to feed their families, it was revealed today.

A 21-BED emergency shelter for homeless people which opened on a pilot basis in Dublin over the weekend is running at full capacity and already having to turn people away.

JUSTICE Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday firmly rejected a call from a respected drug counselling service that people caught with small amounts of cannabis and other drugs at festivals should not be prosecuted.

Teenagers caught with cannabis at outdoor concerts like Oxegen should not be arrested, a Catholic anti-drugs agency said today.

Poles, Lithuanians, Nigerians and Romanians are just some of the nationalities expected to take part in the annual Festival of Peoples in Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral tomorrow.

ONE of the country’s leading charities yesterday appealed for unwanted Christmas gifts.

The Catholic Church today urged people to give their unwanted Christmas gifts to a festive scheme that passes them on to the homeless and needy.

THE Government has been urged to introduce special supports to allow poorer families access to good-quality, affordable food.

Churchgoers will be asked to dig deep this weekend for the Crosscare annual collection.

Crosscare is calling on the Government to persuade the Romanian authorities to improve living conditions for the country's Roma community.