80 tonnes of surplus food given to needy

The scale of Ireland’s food poverty crisis was laid bare last night with figures showing the country’s first food bank has distributed over 80 tonnes of surplus food to the needy across Munster since November.

The scale of the Bia Food Initiative — which has distributed the equivalent of 200,000 meals or about 1,110 meals a day in the last six months — was outlined to members of Cork City Council.

The charity opened the Cork Food Bank last November, making Cork the first Irish city to have such a surplus food distribution hub.