MINISTER FOR Agriculture Brendan Smith has defended the Government’s plan to distribute some 53 tonnes of cheese to people in need between now and Christmas, amid criticism from Fine Gael.
More than €750,000 in EU funding will be spent on the charity cheese scheme, which has run in previous years. A total of 167 tonnes will have been distributed across the whole of 2010.
Fine Gael’s agriculture spokesman Andrew Doyle said in a statement: “People on the breadline would rather the Government’s ‘un-feta’d’ attention was on solving the economic crisis they caused and providing jobs rather than on this ridiculous announcement.”
He claimed it was the first time the Government had sought to publicise the food scheme, although it had always been available.
Mr Smith said that Fine Gael’s comments about the scheme for the less well-off demonstrated “a complete lack of empathy with and sensitivity to those who have benefited in the past, and will again this year”.
The reaction was “deeply offensive, especially to the many charity organisations which rely on it each year”.
The Minister rejected the contention that the free cheese scheme had never before been publicised by the Government.
“To try to make political capital out of a very well established EU- funded initiative which has benefited the less well off since 1987, and which offers an important outlet to Irish dairy produce, is an unforgivable slight to the great work of Irish charitable organisations,” Mr Smith said.
The cheese is available from November 15th in boxes of 12 1kg blocks from stores in Clondalkin, Portlaoise, Kilmacthomas in Waterford, Cobh and Togher in Co Cork, with a “minimum of one box per collection”.
Permits are being issued to applicants to facilitate collection. Some 331 charities have so far signed up to help distribute the cheese, which is being purchased from the Irish Dairy Board following a tender scheme.
Further information and application forms are available from the Department of Agriculture’s intervention operations department at Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford.
The programme of food aid was first introduced in 1987 as a reaction to conditions faced by deprived persons during a particularly harsh winter.
Its primary objective is considered to be a “social measure”, but it also has the effect of reducing the intervention storage costs at EU level, according to the department.
The overall budget for the programme has increased from €100 million in 1988 to €478 million for 19 member states this year. Ireland’s share of the budget this year is €818,816, or 0.17 per cent.
TWITTER FIELD DAY - 'A LOT DONE, MORE FONDUE'
ONLINE REACTION to the free cheese announcement was, predictably, swift, sharp and prolific.
Cheese puns abounded on the micro-blogging website Twitter.
Comments as sharp as a cheese-wire included user Seaniemulvihill’s remark that the scheme “has to be for the grater good”.
But PaddyDuffy said the whole thing was “really exhausting my patience in Ireland; I camembert it any more.”
In response, the user longlivemufasa said: “Its un-brie-lievable!”
VirtualDonal took the benign view that while the Government “squandered Milleens”, it was for the “Gouda da country”.
Simon McGarr, posting under his handle Tupp_Ed, suggested an election slogan for Fianna Fáil: “A lot done, more fondue.”
SAY CHEESE A RECIPE BY DOMINI KEMP
This is the perfect way to use up your cheese mountain, and you can really use any cheese. Gruyère is good but cheddar or any combo of hard cheeses would work just as well. Macaroni and cheese is the quintessential stomach filler, and everybody loves the cheesy crust on this one. The recipe would easily serve six. Hearty appetites and a glass or two of rich, white wine wouldn’t go amiss.
Mac and Cheese
Serves 6
500g macaroni
Olive oil
Few knobs of butter
1 tbsp flour
200ml white wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
2 x 200-250g tubs crème fraîche
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
250g Gruyère, grated
10-15 smoked streaky bacon rashers, diced
Pinch of brown sugar
2 onions, very thinly sliced
100ml sunflower oil
Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water, until nearly cooked (pre-al dente). Drain the pasta, rinse in cold water and then pour a glug of olive oil over it and mix it through, which will stop the pasta sticking together. Set aside.
Meanwhile, take a good knob of butter and, in a non-stick saucepan, cook the butter and tablespoon of flour over a medium heat for a minute or two, stirring with a whisk, so the flour cooks out. Then add the wine, slowly, whisking continuously so that it forms a smooth, thick liquid, which will look incredibly unappetising. Cook this over a gentle heat, add the mustard, season loads, and add the crème fraîche and garlic. Let it cook for a few more minutes and taste.
Heat another knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the bacon until crisp, adding a pinch of sugar to help it caramelise. When it’s cooked, drain on kitchen paper and add to the sauce. In a large bowl, mix the macaroni into the cream mixture and add the grated Gruyère. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the pasta into a large buttered gratin dish. You can leave this overnight.
When it is ready to cook, heat it up for 35 minutes or so in an oven at 170 degrees/gas three, until golden and bubbling on top. Cover with tin foil if the top browns too quickly. As a garnish, fry the onions in very hot oil until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt, and sprinkle on top of the macaroni.