It’s claimed people in Clare are living in fear of having to chose between “heating and eating”.
Charities based in this county are calling on the government to introduce a suite of measures to protect vulnerable people amidst a surge in the cost of living.
It comes after the Commission for Regulation of Utilities revealed to an Oireachtas comittee this week that an additional 20,000 customers have now fallen behind on energy bills since the beginning of the year.
The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul has seen a 50% increase in presentations from members of the public seeking assistance with utility bills since the first quarter of 2022.
The Clare branch says this trend has been replicated across the county & is now calling on the government to introduce a suite of measures to protect consumers.
In budget 2023 , government introduced a €12 increase to core social welfare rates as well as a one off fuel allowance payment of €400.
However, Clare SVP president Denis Carty says unless mitigating measures are tied with inflation , vulnerable citizens will continue to feel the pinch.
A Clare based representative of Active Retirement Ireland says elderly people are living in real fear of the potential prospect of chosing between ‘heating & eating’ due to shortfalls in state supports.
Kay Murphy believes the current pension rate is unsustainable & that the household benefits package is no longer fit for purpose.
At the last budget, weekly pension rates rose by €12, while the household benefits package which aims to assist older people with domestic bills has remained stagnant since 2016.
Shannon native, Kay says the spiral in the cost of living is placing people in a position where they are embarrassed to ask for help.
You can listen to the interview below.
