Working families 'turning to food banks'

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

A Dublin food bank has distributed almost double the amount of basic food supplies in 2014 compared to last year, and expects demand to double again next year.

The news comes as the Crosscare food bank and cafe issues its Christmas appeal for food and household products to be donated.

They are urging people to donate food to their local Dublin parish to help those in need over Christmas.

Crosscare gave out 750 tonnes of food last year, and that figure has almost doubled to 1,200 tonnes this year, as the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, explained.

"What's written up there is very, very striking that in 2012 they distributed 500 tonnes, last year 750, this year 1,200 and they're imagining that next year it'll be even double that," he said.