STUNNING plus-size model Jessica Borza says Ireland is behind the CURVE when it comes to promoting full-sized ‘real women’.

The 27-year-old model — who was recently hand-picked by Towie’s Gemma Collins to showcase her new line for Boohoo — says there’s no shortage of larger models in Ireland.

Yet Jessica — from the famous chipper family — reckons we’re behind the rest of the world when it comes to inclusivity.

She said: “If England can do it, Ireland can too. I just want to see agencies over here realise that plus-size models are getting bigger and better. It’s such a big market in the UK for girls my size, but so limited here.

“There aren’t very many brands here that cater for plus-size girls, and I think that needs to change.

“I think the industry in general is slightly changing though and people are starting to realise that every size is gorgeous and everyone is on their own journey in life.”

Jessica is recently back from the UK where she was the only Irish plus-size model to take part in the recent Curve Fashion Fest in Liverpool last month.

There she walked for the likes of River Island, Debenhams and Boohoo . . . and even met her idol Gemma in the flesh.

The Dublin-born model, who has a two-year-old daughter Alanna, says she first pursued plus-size modelling after losing four stone following a break-up.

She said: “Seven years ago, I was 17 stone and I just went through my first experience of heartbreak and I thought it was the end of the world but I picked myself back up and I went on a weight-loss journey. I saw a competition for plus-size models and my mother entered me into it. At that point I had just lost the weight and I thought I’d give it a go.”

After making it into the top five of the contest, Jessica then signed for Ruby Models Management, Ireland’s first plus-sized agency.

But the mum of one, who is a proud size 16/18, admits she wasn’t always happy with her looks.

She struggled with her weight as a youngster and she was often judged for her size when it came to school sports events.

She said: “Growing up I was always the bigger child, I was always picked last in sports teams and I could never really wear the same clothes as my friends.

“I never suffered from bullying, I had good friends so I was lucky in that sense but I couldn’t wear the same clothes as them. I had to dress to my shape because I was bigger.”

Jessica says her large Italian-Irish family were always there for her too.

She said: “I’m Italian-Irish so I have a big family. They’re all sending me messages of support from Italy now that I’m modelling. I’m from the chain of chippers in Dublin. My grandparents emigrated to Ireland and opened up Borzas in Templeogue.”

While Jessica has a strong network of family and friends, it’s a different story when it comes to social media.

She said: “I remember doing a naked shoot and it was to speak out about body shaming but you still get the negativity of people saying plus-sized models are promoting obesity.

“People are struggling every day with their image and it’s so important for young girls to realise they are beautiful. Social media says you should look a certain way and dress a certain way and that’s so damaging for people.”

Jessica also recalls telly presenter Piers Morgan lashing out at Cosmopolitan for running a cover featuring plus-size model Tess Holliday. He claimed that putting Holliday on the cover of such a prolific title was just as ‘dangerous’ as celebrating size zero models.

Jessica said: “I thought he went completely overboard, it was disgraceful the way he spoke about her.

“I met her last year and she was just so inspirational. I don’t know why people feel like they can judge a book by its cover . . . if people are simply judged for the way they look, that’s awful.”