The Clare branch of a voluntary organisation dedicated to tackling poverty has predicted a rise in the number of people contacting the service for food supports in the coming months.
It comes amid a warning that the cost of living is going to further push low-income families across the breadline.
Food prices could be set to rise again, with warnings that a prolonged drought and rising production costs could add as much as €1,000 a year to the average family’s food bill.
Countries around Europe are reporting their worst-yielding harvests in recent history, with many farmers having poor-performing crops this year.
While many farmers here have been using supplementary feed at a time of year when you’d expert grass, the cheapest feed option, to be plentiful.
Former General Secretary of the ICSA Eddie Punch says just as consumers are feeling the pain, farmers are facing rising production costs.
The Cratloe Farmer says a number of issues at both national and EU level need to be tackled to curb the spiralling cost of food.
The Clare branch of St Vincent De Paul fears any increase in food prices over the coming months will put huge strain on those currently managing to survive.
Clare SVP President Gerardine Cotter says at least a quarter of those they help are seeking food vouchers and she expects that number to rise in the near future.
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