23rd September 2025
Mid West Simon, in conjunction with the Simon Communities of Ireland, will today, Tuesday 23rd September, host a conference in Limerick highlighting the urgent issue of food poverty and family and child homelessness. In partnership with Mid West Simon Community, the conference will highlight how rising house costs, the shortage of affordable homes, and the cost-of-living crisis are pushing families into homelessness while also leaving many unable to afford or access nutritious food.
Experts in the sector will address the key challenges relating to nutrition and food poverty faced by families and children across Clare, Limerick, and North Tipperary. Speaking at the event are Ber Grogan, Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland, Niall Garvey, Chief Executive of Mid West Simon, Dr Amy Healy, University of Limerick. Spokespersons from the Limerick City and county council housing department, There will be 2 panels – one with internal insights from Mid West Simon and persons of lived experience and another with external insights from Barnardos, Limerick Island Community partners, Limerick City Partnership, Northside Family resource centre.
Ber Grogan, Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland said,
“Families experiencing homelessness are living in impossible conditions, too often placed in emergency accommodation without access to proper cooking facilities and forced to rely on expensive takeaways or food charities. We must stop placing families in environments that deepen food poverty and instead ensure safe, affordable homes with the facilities and supports they need. No child in Ireland should grow up hungry or homeless.”
Niall Garvey, Chief Executive of Mid West Simon Community went onto say that,
“It is unacceptable that families are raising children in hotel rooms or emergency settings without access to a kitchen, unable to provide nutritious meals. In the Mid West, we are meeting more and more families who are stretched to breaking point. This is not just about poverty, it’s about dignity, health, and giving children the stability they need to thrive.”
Simon Week 2025 represents one of The Simon Communities of Ireland’s most focused national campaigns to date, uniting practitioners, policymakers, and communities to highlight food poverty and family homelessness and to drive urgent, practical action towards access to nutritious foods and secure and lasting housing solutions.
ENDS
For further information contact: Claire O’Flynn 085 800 1275 / claire@communicationsclinic.ie or Aoibhín Russell on 086 832 2410 / aoibhin@communicationsclinic.ie
