Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Many children will be in a more vulnerable position because of the cost-of-living crisis. A Barnardos survey recently revealed that 26% of parents felt they did not have enough food to feed their children over the past year and that the cost-of-living crisis had led to 41% of parents cutting back on food spending. I welcome our budget. In July 2022, the Government report, Food Poverty: Government Programmes, Schemes and Supports, told of €89 million spent directly to address food poverty, with €400 million spent on schemes that include food and poverty aspects. With the way things are at the moment, I wonder why we do not have a specific budget for food provision. I know we have done a lot. I welcome that many schools have DEIS status. However, people are not spending as much on food. I ask that the Government look at food provision and at soup kitchens, or food kitchens as we call them. St. Clare's Hospitality Kitchen in Carlow feeds more than 100 people a day, including children, women and men. There is no Government funding for it. Will the Government look at once-off funding for such kitchens?

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