Food parcel charities concerned over EU plans to cut supports

Charities providing food parcels to the poor fear proposed cuts to EU supports will reduce their ability to help the hungry here.

Almost €2.6m worth of cheese, butter and rice from agricultural surpluses will be distributed to Irish charities this year under the EU’s Food for the Most Deprived programme.

But the programme is finishing at the end of the year because surplus stocks are running out and charities believe the proposed replacement cash fund will have too little to give and too many demands to meet.