David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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227. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding sources available to foodbanks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55752/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Foodbanks play an important role in many local communities in providing food to people who can't afford the food that they need.

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Food and Basic Material Assistance programme in Ireland is a continuation of the EU Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) programme. This supports EU countries’ actions to provide material assistance (including food and clothing) to the most deprived.

The specific objective of addressing material deprivation through food and basic material assistance through ESF+ funding is managed by my Department on behalf of DFHERIS.

Currently there are 161 approved charities operating the programme supporting over 213,000 people with food. Eight of these are registered foodbanks. Each charity is allocated credits, which entitles them to collect ESF+ food product. In 2025 €3.76 million was spent on food product to date under the programme.

Funding was secured under Budget 2023 for a caseworker service to work with people regularly accessing food provision. This programme provides assistance in identifying and tackling the underlying issues that contributed to people seeking such support through quality advice and case advocacy.

Following a procurement process, the service commenced in September 2023 and is provided by organisations involved in emergency food provision in three regions: Crosscare in Dublin, Feed Cork in Cork and Mid-West Simon in Limerick.

Funding may be available to foodbanks from a range of other Government departments.