Introduction

This chapter explores the main pathways into food poverty, based on interviewing a sample of food aid users. The literature indicates that there are often multiple drivers that result in poverty and this is also the case for food poverty. Chapter 4 has shown that there is a relatively high risk of food poverty for those who are unemployed and rely on social protection. There is an increased prevalence for those in low-paid and precarious employment, although working poverty often arises from low work intensity, due to limited paid hours at work. Yet, given the quantitative and cross-sectional nature of research, little is known about the biographical pathways into food poverty and the underlying causal mechanisms that lead to the use of food aid. Given the lack of qualitative research on food poverty in Ireland, this chapter aims to address this gap in knowledge.

The qualitative research investigated users of food aid through a total of 42 semi-structured interviews. These were held at food banks in locations spread around Dublin, which were convenient for confidential interviews with respondents. Throughout this research, pseudonyms were used in order to preserve the anonymity of participants. The food bank users received referrals from charities such as the SVP, which provides vouchers for this purpose. The intention is that the food aid provides relief to help the recipient cope with a short-term emergency, although many users seek ongoing assistance. It should be noted that food bank users are a sub-sample of those experiencing food poverty. There is a range of other types of food assistance available, depending on location, and some of those affected by food poverty are not able or willing to avail of food aid.

The interviews sought to explore why each respondent needed food aid and probed their pathways into, through and out of food poverty. A summary of the methodology for the study is set out in Appendix 2. The results of this qualitative output were then analysed to review the characteristics of food bank users, what drives the need for food aid and the experience of food poverty. The data from these research strands informed a review of how to improve the conceptualisation and operationalisation of food poverty and key policies that drive food poverty. These issues are discussed in later chapters.