The National Meals on Wheels Network has highlighted gaps in the service across the country, which are leaving some elderly and vulnerable people without a hot meal.
As a new government is being formed, there are calls for ringfenced funding and a move towards employing more staff, instead of an over reliance on volunteers.
"We currently have 306 providers and they would vary in size," explained Tracey Noone, Development Officer at the National Meals on Wheels Network.
"But in every area of the country, there are gaps that exist. Some providers having waiting lists, some have environmental health restrictions and capacity they can cook for and then there are challenges in terms of human resources," Ms Noone said.
"Then there are parts of the country, such as Portlaoise in Co Laois, Mountbellew in Galway and Dunmore East in Co Waterford where there is no service at all."
Portlaoise has been without a Meals on Wheels service since June 2023 and while efforts have been made to try and restore the service, there has been no success.
An organisation is needed to take the lead and draw down funding and to date, volunteers have had no success.
Teresa McCloskey is among those backing the efforts to restore Meals on Wheels in the town.
Her mother used the service as did her late father Jim.
"A lot of elderly and vulnerable people in the area are going without hot meals and basic nutrition," she said.
"Many of our neighbouring towns have good services. They are inundated with calls from people in Portlaoise but they can't cater for the people here. They don't have the resources," she added.
"I've gone to meetings, but the issue is, we need a lead organisation who will co-ordinate and manage a delivery service for meals on wheels in Portlaoise."
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"Without a lead organisation, our hands are tied," Ms Noone said.
An hour's drive away in Athlone, the Meals on Wheels service continues to grow.
The service has been operating for over 50 years and now it delivers 160 meals every day to elderly and vulnerable people in the town.
"The service is vital to keep elderly people at home and for their families it's a great comfort knowing they are getting a hot nutritious meal every day," said Mags O'Donnell, Manager of Athlone Meals on Wheels.
"They also get to see a friendly face," she added.
"By fundraising we are able to keep down the cost of meals. The clients get a main course and a dessert, and it costs between €25 and €30 a week."
The Meals on Wheels Network, under the umbrella of Irish Rural Link, is partly funded by the HSE, while also relying on fundraising and voluntary time given by hundreds of people around the country.
"Volunteers are giving up of their own time, and in most cases, although not in all, they would be using their own personal vehicles, then to deliver meals," said Tracey Noone.
"You're talking about a cohort of the population that would be retired but feel that they want to give something back but they're doing it on a regular basis and they get no contribution," she said.
"You can't sustain a vital, essential service like the Meals on Wheels sector, a service wholly reliant on volunteers. We need more paid staff in the sector, and we need the funding model to include that paid element," she added.
The network wants to see a new government address the funding model.
"I suppose what we would like to see happen first and foremost is an increase in the funding, but we are also calling on the government to consider multi annual funding," Ms Noone said.
"At the moment, funding is applied for in November and December each year, and across all of the CHO areas which are now becoming regional health areas, there are inconsistencies," she said.
"Providers don't know exactly what they're getting until they receive it and sometimes some of the providers aren't getting it until maybe February or March," she said.
"It's very, very difficult to budget and plan for this service when you're only getting it on an annual basis, and you're not sure of the exact date when you get your first payment.
"We are also looking for ringfenced funding.
"We'd like to see that in every single budget there is an actual amount ringfenced specifically for Meals on Wheels because at the end of the day, this is a lifeline for so many people right across the country."
