The President of the Clare branch of St Vincent De Paul fears financial pressure will continue to mount on low income families throughout the rest of the year.
It comes after the Government signed off on a 1.3 billion euro cost of living package, which has been labelled ‘wholly inadequate’ by opposition.
The Government has this week signed off on a 1.3 billion euro cost of living support package, which will see a 200 euro lump sum for welfare recipients and 100 euro extra per child in child benefit payments.
But the country’s largest voluntary charitable organisation’s local branch is among those to criticise the measures.
St Vincent DePaul had called for permanent measures to be laid out, such as an increase in the core social welfare payments and an extension of the fuel allowance to people on the Working Family Payment.
Clare branch President, Denis Carty says while the measures announced are welcome, they don’t go far enough to alleviate pressure on many families.
The Clare-based Digital Ambassador for Active Retirement Ireland believes the one-off 200 euro payment for pensioners will help ensure older people on a limited income can manage every day costs.
Quin man Eugene Philips says, however, that permanent measures would have a far better impact in the long run.
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The cost-of-living package doesn’t expand upon the €600 energy credit which was introduced in Budget 2023 and split over three installments of €200.
