Irish Minister for Foreign Affair Dermot Ahern said he was "gravely concerned" at price rises, which are hitting the vulnerable people in developing countries, millions of whom are living on less than one Euro a day.  "The scale of recent increases has tipped many of these families over the edge - from a situation of serious deprivation to one of chronic hunger,” the newspaper quoted Ahern as having.

Today's allocation brings Ireland's total to contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme to over 20 million Euros so far this year.

The money is being allocated amid fears about escalating food prices.

Ahern says he fully supports the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's initiative to establish a special Task Force to tackle the global crisis.

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