Background

Ireland’s history of catastrophic famines is seared into the nation’s collective memory. The disaster of crop failures that resulted in the Great Famine of 1845–52 is now scarcely imaginable. However, food poverty in 21st-century Ireland remains largely overlooked, reflecting a paucity of research and only occasional media coverage. In contrast to other developed Western countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, there has been limited discussion on food poverty, which can be understood in simple terms as the inability to afford or access a healthy diet. This book aims to address this gap, raise awareness of food poverty and consider the actions needed to address the issue effectively.

For many years, developed countries such as Ireland have had sufficient food supplies in aggregate terms, in addition to well-developed social safety nets (Riches, 1997a: 63). It therefore seems contradictory that food poverty remains a health and social issue, alongside problems of over-consumption and obesity. Despite economic progress, it is argued that the issue has reemerged as a growing social policy concern. Food poverty affects over 300,000 people in Ireland (Department of Social Protection [DSP], 2020c) and there is evidence that the situation has been exacerbated by COVID-19. The financial impact of the pandemic has disproportionally affected groups that are already at high risk of food poverty, such as low- income families with children, lone parents, people with disabilities and renters (Society of St Vincent de Paul [SVP], 2021a).

While the profile of food poverty in Ireland remains low, the problem of global hunger and food nutrition has received considerable recognition over recent decades, from the United Nations and other international bodies with which Ireland is affiliated. The World Food Summit of 1996, organised by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO), declared that it was a universal right to have access to safe and nutritious food (UN FAO, 1996: 4). According to Riches (1997: 63), food security is a fundamental human right, which should be afforded ‘the highest priority’ by the state and civil society. Despite this international affirmation and concern, Dowler and O’Connor (2012) argue that neither Ireland nor the UK ‘accepts or fulfils its obligations’ (2012: 49).