Limerick people have difficulty accessing food, report says

A NEW report on food insecurity in Limerick states that the city has a higher concentration of extremely disadvantaged small areas than any other city in Ireland

The report - published by Limerick City and County Council and Limerick Food Strategic Partnership - has found that “people are facing growing difficulties in accessing food on top of long‑standing structural barriers.” 

“Rising living costs and housing pressures are making it harder for households to afford food, while climate and environmental issues are increasingly putting food supply at risk.”

“Like the rest of the country, Limerick’s population is growing in size and diversity, and it is also ageing quickly. It is marked by pockets of extreme deprivation and concentrations of lone parent families.”

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Those experiencing unemployment, insecure work, disability or illness, caring responsibilities, and housing precarity were significantly more likely to report food affordability worry and food insecurity, the report found. Those living in IPA centres are also at risk, according to the report. 

The report was launched April 17 in Adare’s Woodlands Hotel, and was attended by Minister Dara Calleary. The report has led to the development of a Food Access App which will help identify available food services for people in Limerick. 

The report has recommended for long-term investment into food security in Limerick - including for schools and Meals on Wheels. The report also recommends lobbying for adequate income to protect individuals and families from food insecurity. 

A press release for the report states that it is one of the most comprehensive local studies of food insecurity undertaken in Ireland to date. The report’s data emerges from 493 surveys from individuals and families, and took place over three years.  

The report can be read here: Building Sustainable Food Futures