A TD has said that urgent government measures are needed to mitigate food price increases in the coming months due to the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

Yesterday morning (Thursday, February 24), Russian forces invaded Ukraine and launched a full-scale attack on the country.

In response, the European Union and United States issued economic sanctions on Russia, targeting "Kremlin interests". NATO is also due to hold a virtual meeting later today.

Yesterday in the Dáil, independent TD Michael McNamara claimed that the conflict in Ukraine would lead to food shortages in western Europe and impact prices here.

"Up to now, we have lived in a time of unprecedented peace and security in Europe, including energy security and food security. All of that seems to be questionable and questioned now.

“Ukraine has a population of 40 million and produces enough food to feed 600 million. Obviously, it is expected that there is going to be an interruption in that food production, which will lead to a huge increase in food prices,” the Clare representative said.

"Both the rising cost of grain and fertiliser will have a knock-on cost for farmers and unless the government helps with the cost this year, they are going to have to pass it on next year,” McNamara added.

In response, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that he did not believe there are going to be food shortages in Ireland.

Varadkar outlined that he was aware of the "soaring" price of inputs for farmers, including fertiliser and energy.

"We will try to help farmers in any way we can but we also need to be realistic. These are international developments. The price of energy is going to rise and that will have a knock-on effect on the price of food and the price of other things.

"The government has intervened to help and will continue to intervene to help, but we need to be realistic too. We are still a country that is not balancing the books at the moment.

“If what is happening with energy prices continues and if what is happening in Russia and Ukraine unfolds, then there is a real probability that the price of food will go up here in Ireland and in western Europe.

"We have benefited from cheap food for a very long time. I think the price of food is going to go up, and the question is how we deal with that. That is going to be about helping farmers with costs, and we will do that, but it is also going to be about incomes policy," the Tánaiste concluded.