DONEGAL is the worst
hit county in Ireland for food poverty, a shock new
survey reveals.
Food poverty is defined as someone being forced to
miss a meal because they cannot afford it.
The report is from trade unions Mandate and Unite
which has called on the Government to release funds
to help tackle the problem. The unions said
pensioners, one parent families and the newly
unemployed are among the worst off.
Their report 'Hungry for Action' found that one in
10 people currently suffers food poverty across
Ireland.
Mandate general secretary John Douglas said of the
findings: “Those suffering food poverty may be
lone-parent families, they may be the newly
unemployed, they may be pensioners – and they may be
people in work, struggling to survive on low wages.
“It may mean they cannot afford a meal with meat or
the vegetarian equivalent every second day or afford
a roast or vegetarian equivalent once a week."
The Hungry for Action report shows that people in
Donegal are among the worst hit, with one in nine
unable to afford basic meals.
The unions appealed for a minimum wage rise as well
as more support in benefits to social welfare
recipients.
Unite regional secretary Jimmy Kelly added: “Food
poverty in Ireland today is part of a policy-made
disaster – austerity, and the collapse in incomes it
has brought in its wake.
“But the cause of food poverty will only be
addressed by starting to increase the incomes of the
most deprived in our society, which is why we are
also calling for an increase in basic Social
Protection rates, and an increase in the minimum
wage to help address the growing problem of in-work
poverty.” The unions also called for an emergency
relief budget early in 2014. |
