David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1423. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding streams available through his Department for foodbanks, or other initiatives involving food supports. [58335/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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My Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF) provides funding for initiatives that promote the reduction of food waste generated by food businesses, retailer/wholesalers or suppliers in rural areas.

The last call for proposals was issued in January of 2024. The successful project, The FoodCloud Growers Project, was allocated €165,000 for 2025. The project has established a national programme for the redistribution of surplus food from growers, who would not otherwise be able to donate due to cost prohibitions.

The project aims to reduce farm level food waste whilst providing fresh, nutritious produce to Community and Volunteer Organisations (CVOs) supporting those who need it most in communities across the country.

My Department has funded this project under RIDF calls for proposals since it's pilot programme in 2021/22 and it has now grown to include 8 growers, rescuing 300 tonnes of surplus vegetables and providing nutritious produce to the network of CVOs.

Produce is redistributed via FoodCloud’s three redistribution hubs in Dublin, Galway and Cork and is made available to the more than 140 CVOs connected to the Hubs. FoodCloud also use their technology platform to connect local CVOs and growers directly, reducing the need for, and cost of, transport and logistics and reducing associated emissions.

The project also works directly with five Local Development Companies (LDCs) – Donegal LDC, Foodshare Kerry, IRD Duhallow, Liberties, Ballyhoura and Clonmany, who in turn are able to receive deliveries of produce and facilitate onward distribution to more than 40 CVOs.

In 2024 it was able to donate the equivalent of 560,252 meals to community groups across the country via its network.