The most recent figures revealed that one in 10 Irish people was experiencing food poverty, Fianna Fáil social protection spokesman Willie O’Dea told the Dáil.

“This is a stark statistic in a so-called wealthy country,” he said.

Mr O’Dea said the survey had been undertaken by Safefood Ireland in 2010 and he believed the situation had worsened since then.

Food poverty was defined as not being able to afford a meat or vegetarian equivalent meal every other day, being unable to afford a weekly roast dinner or vegetarian equivalent at least once a week or missing a meal in the previous fortnight for money reasons.

The position had deteriorated since 2010, as shown by the quadrupling of the number of calls made to St Vincent de Paul. Surveys by the Irish League of Credit Unions and others showed that almost 50 per cent of the population must borrow money to pay basic bills, said Mr O’Dea.

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said the existing strategy for addressing poverty was the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016.

A key element was the setting up of a national social target to reduce consistent poverty to 4 per cent by 2016 and to 2 per cent or less by 2020.

Ms Burton said her department had spent €35 million last year on school meals, notably on the development of breakfast clubs and hot school meals.

The figure had been increased by €2 million this year to provide nutritious hot food to children as they started their school day.