Demands on Government to tackle ‘food poverty’

POOR families should get extra welfare benefits, free school meals and discount supermarkets on their doorsteps so they can eat more healthily, campaigners demanded last night.

The Healthy Food For All (HFFA) alliance fears too many vulnerable households are unable to afford to eat properly.

Last night the HFFA called on Finance Minister Brian Cowen to use the Budget to tackle “food poverty”.

Sinéad Keenan, from the HFFA, said 5% of the population were unable to afford a decent meal more than once a fortnight, while 3.7% was only able to afford a meat dinner every other day.

“Providing a nutritious, healthy meal is becoming increasingly difficult for many low-income households, particularly at a time when healthy eating and the quality of food is constantly in the news.

“And for many of those living on a low income, the choice of food is severely restricted by the availability of decent, nutritious food at an affordable price,” she said.

The cost of food made a significant dent in the budgets of poor households with lone-parent families spending around 60% of their income on meals alone, she said.

Backed by the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Combat Poverty Agency and Focus Ireland housing charity, the campaigners want practical measures in the Budget to alleviate the problem.

They want to see welfare pay-outs rise by a minimum of €20 per week for adults and €12 for children so families can afford to eat a healthy diet.

Free school meals should be made available to all children from low-income families, while discount food retailers should be encouraged to open up in poor neighbourhoods, the group said.