One in 10 Irish people cannot afford food

One in 10 people in Ireland say they cannot afford to buy food, according to an international study on the effects of the economic crisis and the Government’s response.

Some of the areas the austerity axe fell on, especially education, health, and help for the unemployed, will come back to haunt the country, according to the OECD, the think-tank for developed countries.

The gap between rich and poor in Ireland is now four times the OECD average and, even with growing signs of recovery, the gap will continue to widen, it warns, with young people facing a lifetime of poverty and a lack of employment.