Menu
01/12/2008
Tough Year Ahead, Says SVP
A leading Irish charity, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has forecast that 2009 would be the most difficult year it has faced for a generation as it announced record spending last year.
Unveiling its biggest-ever annual appeal in Dublin, SVP President Mairéad Bushnell said the society was seeing "a growing sense of fear and hopelessness" amid the recession.
She said calls for assistance were up 37% in Dublin, 36% in Cork and 30% in the mid-west region.
"We've never seen anything like the number of calls for help we're getting now. We'll have to spend over €50 million this year to help people in need," Ms Bushnell said.
"In some areas, two in every three calls are coming from families with children, and more than one in four calls are from people who never had to use our services before."
The Society announced a record spending in 2007 of more than € 46.2 million, an increase of 9.2% on 2006, with €890,000 spent every week that year.
It said costs related to food, energy and education were posing the biggest challenges to people.
For 2007, food supplied by the society was worth over €5.3 million, up 11.3% on the previous year; fuel costs paid were €3.4m; and education costs paid were €3.3 million, up by over a fifth.
The society said it was "deeply concerned" as the recent Budget "clearly failed to protect the most vulnerable in our community and will actually undermine the modest quality of life they currently have".
Ms Bushnell said: "In the present turmoil, it is the duty of Government to protect the most vulnerable in our communities - and SVP is calling for decisive action to do that."
(BMcC/KMcA)
Unveiling its biggest-ever annual appeal in Dublin, SVP President Mairéad Bushnell said the society was seeing "a growing sense of fear and hopelessness" amid the recession.
She said calls for assistance were up 37% in Dublin, 36% in Cork and 30% in the mid-west region.
"We've never seen anything like the number of calls for help we're getting now. We'll have to spend over €50 million this year to help people in need," Ms Bushnell said.
"In some areas, two in every three calls are coming from families with children, and more than one in four calls are from people who never had to use our services before."
The Society announced a record spending in 2007 of more than € 46.2 million, an increase of 9.2% on 2006, with €890,000 spent every week that year.
It said costs related to food, energy and education were posing the biggest challenges to people.
For 2007, food supplied by the society was worth over €5.3 million, up 11.3% on the previous year; fuel costs paid were €3.4m; and education costs paid were €3.3 million, up by over a fifth.
The society said it was "deeply concerned" as the recent Budget "clearly failed to protect the most vulnerable in our community and will actually undermine the modest quality of life they currently have".
Ms Bushnell said: "In the present turmoil, it is the duty of Government to protect the most vulnerable in our communities - and SVP is calling for decisive action to do that."
(BMcC/KMcA)
Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
28 July 2011
'Hangover' Cannot Be Underestimated, Says Drinkaware
The effect of the 'Morning After' cannot be underestimated, says drinkaware.ie ahead of the August bank holiday weekend. The reality is that many people do not think about what they drank the night before when they get in the car the following morning. Fionnuala Sheehan, drinkaware.
'Hangover' Cannot Be Underestimated, Says Drinkaware
The effect of the 'Morning After' cannot be underestimated, says drinkaware.ie ahead of the August bank holiday weekend. The reality is that many people do not think about what they drank the night before when they get in the car the following morning. Fionnuala Sheehan, drinkaware.
31 October 2012
Ash Ireland Calls For 60c Increase On Cigarettes
An anti-smoking group is calling for a 60 cent increase in the price of a packet of cigarettes in December's budget. 900,000 smokers in the country smoke 6 billion cigarettes a year, according to Ash Ireland. The group says an increase in the price is the best weapon in the fight against the habit.
Ash Ireland Calls For 60c Increase On Cigarettes
An anti-smoking group is calling for a 60 cent increase in the price of a packet of cigarettes in December's budget. 900,000 smokers in the country smoke 6 billion cigarettes a year, according to Ash Ireland. The group says an increase in the price is the best weapon in the fight against the habit.
05 December 2019
€5.2m Govt Spend On Food Aid Revealed
The Government has so far this year spent more than €5 million on food aid, it has emerged. Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea discovered the figures in a Parliamentary Reply, which he says are demonstrative of the true extent of deprivation across the country.
€5.2m Govt Spend On Food Aid Revealed
The Government has so far this year spent more than €5 million on food aid, it has emerged. Fianna Fáil TD Willie O'Dea discovered the figures in a Parliamentary Reply, which he says are demonstrative of the true extent of deprivation across the country.
04 February 2014
Cancer Can Be Prevented - Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Cancer Society has said that even in the face of rising cancer incidence, it is possible for everyone to reduce their cancer risk by adopting a healthy lifestyle and for cancer survivors to cut their risk of a recurrence.
Cancer Can Be Prevented - Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Cancer Society has said that even in the face of rising cancer incidence, it is possible for everyone to reduce their cancer risk by adopting a healthy lifestyle and for cancer survivors to cut their risk of a recurrence.
31 March 2010
Mature Student Numbers Rising
The number of university applications from mature and non-school leavers has risen by a might 30% last year. Figures released today show that with the onset of recession and widespread unemployment, university has become a tempting prospect.
Mature Student Numbers Rising
The number of university applications from mature and non-school leavers has risen by a might 30% last year. Figures released today show that with the onset of recession and widespread unemployment, university has become a tempting prospect.
-
Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Frequent, often heavy showers of rain, sleet and snow will affect most parts this evening and overnight, but are likely to be most frequent across the northeast. Minimum temperature -1 °C.
