DUBLIN - 8 May 2008 - 260 words
Ireland:
SVP reports huge increase in requests for help as cost of living
soars
Dan Bergin
Several Irish newspapers have reported that the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) has experienced a 70% increase in requests for help in recent weeks. The Society sees a direct link to drastic increases in the cost of living.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP)
had 4,858 requests for help in the first three months of this
year in the greater Dublin region alone - up 70% from 2,853 in
the same period in 2007.
"There's no doubt those figures are replicated nationwide,"
said SVP spokesman Stuart Kenny.
Campaigners in Ireland point to the rocketing price of food, which has risen 9.3% in the past 12 months, as well as increasing job losses in construction as the reason for the increase in calls for assistance.
Basics such as fuel bills have also risen
12.3% in the past year, while medical bills are up 5.7% and schooling
costs up 5.9%.
"These significant increases in the cost of living are coming
home to roost in a very severe way," said SVP vice-president
John Monaghan.
"Calls [for help] to our offices are today at levels we normally
get in the run-up to Christmas."
Families and people on social welfare or the minimum wage spend
a greater part of their weekly budget on the basics, so they are
hardest hit by the rises in the cost of living, he said.
Mr Monaghan attacked business groups who have called for the minimum
wage lowered to address Ireland's high inflation rate, which is
currently at 5%.
He said: "They're saying it's not the guys at the top who
are causing problems but the guys at the bottom, They say the
way to keep Ireland competitive is to look at cutting low wages
of people at the bottom. Our attitude is 'no way will this happen'
and we would be jumping all over the place if it did."
Source: SVP
© Independent Catholic News 2008
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