Dáil debates
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Topical Issue Debate
National Food Bank
1:30 pm
Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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It is believed that, globally, one third of the world's food goes to waste. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of that waste is in the Western world - in Europe and the United States. Of course, to address global hunger fully, we need a radical shift in the distribution of wealth but, more locally, we can also help to ease the suffering of those currently economically oppressed by putting in place an infrastructure which can redistribute food to where it is most needed and save it from the bin.
Across Europe, €1 billion of food is redistributed through food banks every year. This equates to approximately 33,000 tonnes of food reaching 5 million people and making up 776 million meals. This saves businesses and charities money as well as paying for meals they are already serving, and it puts food on the plate for many people who are seriously suffering, particularly in this economic depression. A food bank rescues good quality surplus food that would otherwise have gone to waste and sends it to charities and community projects.
FareShare is a large food bank in Britain which only redistributes food inside its "best before" and "use by" dates. In 2012, it rescued 3,600 tonnes of food which would otherwise have gone to landfill. FareShare contributed towards more than 8.6 million meals in 2012, which equates to feeding 36,500 people a day. This food is delivered to a broad range of grassroots organisations all across the UK, including homeless shelters, day centres, women's refuge centres and children's breakfast clubs.
We have organisations like this in Ireland, such as Bia Food Bank and the Crosscare food bank, as well as a number of community projects in the North of Ireland, but there is no national distribution centre and, despite the great work being done, achieving the maximum capacity for sourcing food and rescuing it from waste is not currently possible. Some believe that a national food bank distribution centre could work with major supermarkets, wholesalers and others on the supply chain, and could massively increase the ability of charities and community groups to provide food where it is needed. This would only cost a small sum relative to the benefit it would yield. The head of Bia Food Bank believes it would cost some €250,000 and, given he has indicated €100,000 has already been raised, this leaves just €150,000 needed to get it off the ground.
Has the Government looked into aiding and funding these groups, helping them to source finance or taking any other type of supportive role? Crosscare runs a small food bank in Dublin but the Bia Food Bank initiative is for a nationwide scheme. Last month, Aldi stated it had to get rid of €10 million worth of surplus food each year, which is scandalous. Supermarkets, factories and other sources have also indicated they have huge waste. Nationally, it is estimated that 50,000 tonnes of good food is thrown away or fed to animals annually. When food poverty is increasing so much, it is a scandal we have not managed to organise proper distribution along the lines I have outlined.
Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ellis for raising this timely and important issue in regard to the distribution of surplus food. The Department has been involved for some years in administering the programme of food aid for deprived persons. The programme of food aid for deprived persons was first introduced in 1987 as a reaction to conditions faced by deprived persons during a particularly harsh winter. It was designed to release products that were available in European Community intervention stocks to charitable organisations for free distribution to people in need. Its primary objective was considered to be a social measure but it also had the effect of reducing the intervention storage costs for those products that are distributed which are borne by the EU.
For some years, butter, cheese and rice have been distributed to various charities by my Department. This year, my Department will be distributing cheese, butter and rice to the value of €2.6 million to 563 registered charities. Among those in receipt of product is the Dublin-based food bank operated by Crosscare. A number of the charities utilise the product distributed to provide meals for the most deprived in society.
In Ireland the programme is managed at operational level by hundreds of charitable organisations, mainly staffed by volunteers. The charities currently participate in the reception and distribution of the foodstuffs to deprived persons. These organisations play a key role in the implementation of the programme. However, the majority of the charitable organisations using the scheme in Ireland do not have the capacity to store large quantities of product and, therefore, the Department, as the intervention agency, arranges for the storing of the foodstuffs in various stores located throughout the country. The charities withdraw quantities of product from the stores as required and approved by the Department. The deprived programme operates as a stand-alone scheme and is not run in tandem with a national scheme.
This will be the last year that the current programme will operate under the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine in line with the expiry of the EU regulation. From 2014, the European Commission has proposed the introduction of a new fund to support the provision of food and consumer products for people who are the most deprived. The regulations for this fund have been agreed by the European Parliament and the Council and will be voted on in February 2014. The Department of Social Protection has begun preparatory work for the introduction of the new fund, which will have a budget of up to €3.5 million when co-funding by the Exchequer is taken into account.
Any proposals for the establishment of a national food bank will come in the first instance from the charitable sector in conjunction with food producers and retailers. The Minister for Social Protection and myself would welcome any ideas the Deputy might have on such a proposal.
Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State. There is no doubt a huge amount of work is done by the charities, and the Minister of State referred to 563 charities which are delivering different items, which is very worthwhile. However, it is clear there is a huge loss of food from other sources. As I said, Aldi indicated it had to get rid of €10 million worth of surplus food, which is scandalous. There must be some means of pulling together all of these supermarkets, businesses and other producers of food of all types, preparing a register of the food available and distributing it.
I have been out on a soup run and have seen the problems on the ground. I have also seen the problems in my own constituency office and know that due to the economic climate, some people are having cornflakes as their main meal. While this is hard to believe, it is the case that some people are not getting a full meal. There have also been cutbacks to the meals-on-wheels service for senior citizens and some children are going to school malnourished. These are the areas where we need to deliver the food. If this is co-ordinated better, we can deliver more, and there is certainly scope to do this, from the information I have received.
It is clear that the amount of food that is being thrown away in this society is massive. The Minister spoke about a new European initiative. I am not too clear about what that means. Does it mean that more money is coming in? Will it help in terms of funding, co-ordinating and bringing more groups on board to distribute and store food? The storing of food is probably very important. It is important that we can hold that food in case of emergencies and serious breakdown somewhere along the line.
1:40 pm
Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I cannot but agree with what the Deputy says about the huge amount of food that is being wasted but consumers are demanding that very uniform products be available in the supermarkets. This morning, I visited north Dublin where the horticultural growers have a significant problem. There are many issues relating to supermarkets. One thing they pointed out was the demand for very uniform Brussels sprouts, carrots and turnips. There is a significant amount of wastage arising out of that. That material should certainly be looked at because the same quality exists in a carrot regardless of whether it is crooked or not and people must understand that. Shoppers do not want to buy these products.
Deputy Ellis said he did not understand the new European measure. The European Parliament has passed a directive which will come here for discussion. I welcome the input of the Deputy and everyone else because it is a huge problem and if really good, top class food is being produced here, if people here do not want to buy it, at least it should be made available. The Government will do everything in its power to help alleviate a problem with food. I welcome the opportunity here to clarify exactly where we are.