Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is an affordability issue. We have outlined, as has Mr. Macey, the issue of low incomes and people having to rely on sugary and ultra-processed foods.

I apologise if this sounds very repetitive, but the last thing we want to do as elected representatives is create an extra burden for folks who are struggling to make ends meet. When Mr. Macey defines "ultra-processed", would this be a blanket term for foods that are frozen? How would he describe the term? How would a person distinguish between ultra-processed and overly sugary foods, when it comes down to it? Having listened to people, and particularly older people who have come into my office and who are on very low incomes, they are talking about food that perhaps we would class as containing too much sugar or too much salt, or maybe the microwaveable dinners or whatever, which they might stick in the microwave due to being on a low income. Will we be creating an indiscriminate blanketing of foods that may lead to increased hardship? What are Mr. Macey's thoughts on that?