A proposal that could see permits needed for soup runs in Dublin city has been branded as "madness" by a charity.
It comes as groups giving out food to people on the streets could need to get permits to do so under a new plan being considered by Dublin City Council.
The Council has said its Housing Strategic Policy Committee "is examining the pros and cons of regulating on-street food services in the capital.
"It is at the very earliest stages and the first steps will be to consult with the groups providing such services," it said in a statement.
Muslim Sisters of Éire Founder Lorraine O'Connor told Newstalk Breakfast they are struggling as it is.
"I just think it's madness, to be honest with you," she said.
"We're seven years out there now - and I suppose I'd be kind of speaking for all the soup runs that are out there - after COVID we had a huge increase with the inflation rate and poverty the way it's going.
"The increase of people down at our soup runs, we're finding it hard each week to be able to feed everyone.
"I'm talking about anywhere between 350 to 500 meals a week; and at that, if I had 700 meals down there, I'd have them all cleared out in an hour to two hours".
'Homeless crisis'
Ms O'Connor said any permit system is not the way to tackle the issue.
"I think they need to look more on affordable housing, the need to look more on increasing the HAP," she said.
"They need to look more on the situation of the homeless crisis - focus on that, not focus on soup runs".
Ms O'Connor denied suggestions that unregulated services could be enabling homelessness and encouraging anti-social behaviour.
"I don't think you should be stereotyping a soup run that is an increase in anti-social behavior - I think you should be looking at the problem, and the problem is there is a poverty," she said.
"We're in a homeless crisis, we've an immigrant crisis, we've a poverty crisis, we've an inflation crisis.
"Down there on a Friday night, if I could say the percentage of rough sleepers would be 20%.
"80% are people with children coming from hotel accommodations, coming from Direct Provision centres," she added.
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