The Government is so insulting.

Many children will be in a more vulnerable position because of the cost-of-living crisis. A Barnardos survey recently revealed that 26% of parents felt they did not have enough food to feed their children over the past year and that the cost-of-living crisis had led to 41% of parents cutting back on food spending. I welcome our budget. In July 2022, the Government report, Food Poverty: Government Programmes, Schemes and Supports, told of €89 million spent directly to address food poverty, with €400 million spent on schemes that include food and poverty aspects. With the way things are at the moment, I wonder why we do not have a specific budget for food provision. I know we have done a lot. I welcome that many schools have DEIS status. However, people are not spending as much on food. I ask that the Government look at food provision and at soup kitchens, or food kitchens as we call them. St. Clare's Hospitality Kitchen in Carlow feeds more than 100 people a day, including children, women and men. There is no Government funding for it. Will the Government look at once-off funding for such kitchens?

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know she has been a great supporter of St. Clare's food kitchen and has worked to highlight the service it provides in Carlow on a continuing basis. The Minister and the Department of Social Protection have provided significant additional expenditure in respect of the school food and meal programme. We will continue to do that. We have expanded the number of schools that are eligible for that programme. The Deputy's suggestion that additional supports may be needed for such centres, particularly over the Christmas period, is something we can look at.