Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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3. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her Department's strategy to combat food poverty; her views on the current level of food poverty in the population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33012/15]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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The most recent figures we received on food poverty were in 2013, when they showed that one in ten people suffered food poverty. This figure was one in nine in Donegal, the county with the lowest income levels. I have not been able to find updated figures to see whether the position has got better or worse. We know from the CEO of Crosscare, Michael McDonagh, that there is a growing demand for food banks throughout the country. Obviously, there has been an increase in the figures and I would like to know whether the Tánaiste will provide them.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I will give the Deputy some of the figures. The official indicator of poverty is consistent poverty, which is the overlap of two measures, namely, at risk of poverty and basic deprivation. The basic deprivation indicator includes two items relating to the consumption of food. According to the CSO survey of income and living conditions of 2013, which contains the most recent statistics we have on this, 4% of the population were unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken or fish every second day and 8% were unable to afford a roast in addition once a week. Food-related items are, therefore, a very small component of the basic deprivation index. These statistics are available in full and listed in the survey of income and living conditions.

The Department of Social Protection provides income support to sustain an adequate standard of living and to prevent poverty. In 2013 social transfers, excluding pensions, lifted almost one quarter of the population out of being at risk of poverty. Ireland is among the best performing states. We come in slightly behind countries such as Denmark and Sweden. The OECD report of 15 September shows Ireland just after the Scandinavian countries in terms of performance. Our recovery is noted for the level of protection we have had for people on social welfare incomes and this can be seen in the OECD report.

The Department has a number of programmes to improve access to food for vulnerable people. The school meals programme will spend €39 million this year, which is an increase of €2 million on the last budget. It provides breakfasts and lunches to 1,700 schools and organisations in respect of approximately 220,000 children.

The Department administers the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, FEAD, which provides food and basic consumer products to people most at risk. Almost €27 million will be available over the period to 2020, of which 65% is for food. The Department advertised this programme in July and the applications process is ongoing. It is progressing very well and is being used by many organisations which provide meals to people.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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The response is just not good enough. The Tánaiste stated 220,000 children receive breakfasts and lunches. This is a welcome development for these children, but why is it happening? It is because people do not have enough money. They do not earn enough in their wages. It also affects pensioners. The minimum wage should be increased. People who lost their jobs are still unemployed. The only way to deal with this is to increase people's incomes in order that they might to be able to buy food or else the Government should subsidise food for people on certain incomes, such as a 10% or 20% discount on certain foods which are necessary. This could be pinpointed by organisations dealing with food poverty.

It was ironic that the Tánaiste spoke about a recovery several weeks ago and then went with a big smile on her face to cut a ribbon to open a food bank in Glasnevin. Many people noticed this irony and they are very angry about it.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Thank you.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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We should be dealing with this and using the opportunity to put money back into people's pockets and reverse the social welfare cuts. If core social welfare payments were to be brought back up to 2009 levels it would mean €40 extra a week for a couple and €27 extra a week for a single person. This is what needs to be put back into people's pockets.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Deputy is wrong to attack the people who volunteer at the food bank and she should apologise to them.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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No, I am attacking you for going there with a big smile on your face and cutting those ribbons.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I was with people who work and volunteer with Crosscare. It is grand for the Deputy to make snide remarks about them. For her information, people have been involved in this work for generations. What is happening at present is that major supermarkets and other businesses are giving absolutely first-class food, which they would not otherwise be selling, in an organised way to Crosscare, which, in turn, gives it to various organisations which support the distribution and giving of meals to people. This means food and other goods - because it is not just food - which would otherwise go into a dump are utilised by, for example, a local community centre which may provide lunches and snacks for elderly people.

Not every child who goes to school without breakfast does so because the family does not have money. In a small number of cases, but it is very significant, the parents may have issues which mean that, unlike most parents in the State, they are not perhaps in a position to prepare food at breakfast time. The children feed themselves. When they go to school, they get a breakfast and a social space, which is hugely beneficial for them. It is not for the Deputy to knock all of this.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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It is amazing how the Tánaiste can turn things around. I was not attacking the food banks. They are necessary.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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You were.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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You were making snide remarks.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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What I am attacking is the policy of this Government and that which preceded it to implement the austerity measures which force people into situations whereby they must use food banks and must get breakfasts and lunches at school because the family income does not provide for children to be supported in this way. It is an attack on the Tánaiste's policies and the fact people must depend on food banks. There has been an increase. Michael McDonagh, the CEO of Crosscare, stated has been an increase in the number of people needing food banks. If it was one in ten in 2013, it could be two in ten.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Not at all. The figures-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should put a question.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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I do not think that is the case. Will the Tánaiste deal with the core issue of putting money into people's pockets so they can proudly go out and buy goods rather than having to depend on food banks?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Deputy has been one of the cheerleaders for the unfortunate things that happened to the unfortunate people in Greece this year. She suggests to us we would go down the same road.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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Cheerleader for what?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Hold on.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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How did you bring Greece into it? This is about food poverty in Ireland.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The actual food bank movement in Ireland is a partnership between a range of companies.

10 o’clock

The Deputy probably would not approve of that anyway.

A range of companies have surplus top quality food or goods and the different charitable and community organisations are used as a mechanism to redistribute that to people who want that. That is instead of having it put into landfill. That is a perfectly sensible use of social resources in this country. It is a combination of people involved with charity and community organisations, businesses and the Department of Social Protection and other public organisations. It means we can utilise food that would otherwise go to waste. It is not a measure of additional poverty at all in Ireland; it is a sensible use of food and other materials that would otherwise just be dumped. What is the problem?