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THE NUMBER OF people struggling financially has doubled since before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new poll.
Difficulties facing many people in Ireland currently are highlighted in the new poll conducted by Red C on behalf of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP).
It found the number of people reporting that they are finding it difficult to manage financially has doubled since the start of the pandemic in 2020, rising from 9% to 18% last month.
37% of people have cut back on essential heating and electricity use and 17% have cut back on other essentials, such as food, the poll found.
A total of 48% of unemployed people and 47% of single parents have cut back on essential heating and electricity.
37% of single parents have cut back on other essentials, such as food.
Almost 40% of people are worried or quite worried about their ability to meet their household energy costs while a quarter are worried about their ability to meet their housing costs (rent or mortgage).
For renters, the worry is particularly stark with over half worried about their ability to pay their rent. 9% of renters are already behind on their rent and 29% are worried about facing eviction in the next six months.
“The importance of their research is that it explores the depth of financial worry and concern across every cohort of the population,” Dr Tricia Keilthy, SVP head of social justice and policy, said.
“However, the data clearly shows that the groups more vulnerable to poverty, including unemployed people, single parents, and renters have found it particularly difficult to manage rising energy costs,” Dr Keilthy said.
“It is also important to remember that better-off families tended to build up their savings during the pandemic, providing a shock absorber for rising prices, but lower income families have no saving and are already in debt,” she said.
SVP is recommending the following short-term measures:
Dr Keilthy said that immediate support must go hand in hand with measures to strengthen the social welfare system such as introducing a living wage.
The Government is today set to announce its cost of living package, which Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said will have targeted supports, as well as a ‘universal benefit’ for all households.
Red C interviewed a random sample of 1,036 adults online between 21 and 27 January. Interviewed were conducted with people across the country.
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He wants the eu to come up with solutions to the protocol that both him and Boris made up and signed off by the queen!!!!he clearly suffers from amnesia.the eu is going out of its way to come up with solutions and it doesn’t seem good enough for him.best thing to do is call his bluff and give him nothing.if he wants to pull article 16 go ahead and watch countries never strike any trade deals with them.this has been dragged out way to long and frost is only listening to a few hard line unionists that are the minority in northern Ireland.
He’s slowly backing away from his earlier position on article 16. It may be because he always knew that the EU had his number, or it may have been the telling off he’s gotten from the US Foreign Dept. In any case Frost is a disingenuous bad actor in relation to NI. The Tories are playing ‘culture war’ with a region that could erupt into real war, to distract their failing hyper capitalist policies while their doners reap the reward of the insanely unequal system they maintain.
@Dennis Laffey: Total identity politics
The Brits are bad faith actors in all of this process. Any international treaty or agreement with them is not worth the paper it’s printed on.
@Skipper Mac: Only a matter of time before the sleaze reaches Frosty & Bojo like it did to their tory friends.
They can’t help it, its in their nature.
I think BJ and his buddy’s think they have the EU in there pockets, but they should remember that England is an island and if they trigger Article 16 they won’t have to worry about not having enough lorry driver’s, no body will sell them anything. I’d say BJ and his palls all have EU passport in there back pockets!
Let’s face it, this all comes down to money. They don’t care about peace and what’s practical. I don’t think they even care about the ECJ have the jurisdiction over this protocol. I believe what they really dislike is that trade has shifted from East West to North South (South being all EU). The Brits are feeling it in the pocket and still paying the large bill for the North. Long may it continue :D
Oh God he annoys me so much. A complete gombeen….
Back tracking, he’s a waffler who’s be found out
Sloppy reporting. Border communities against Brexit organised and held protests at many main crossings from Derry to Newry yesterday which were well supported. All MSM have ignored or played down the numbers and message of these, what is their agenda??
@M Bowe: from the article:
It comes hours after campaigners gathered at the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic to warn the UK government against triggering Article 16.
A crowd gathered at Carrickcarnon yesterday to demand that the post-Brexit arrangements introduced for Northern Ireland are retained and protected.
@Elaine Phelan: yes at Carrickcarnan AND several other ‘crossing’ points. Why mention only one? BBC and RTE have given anti protocol protests, with less numbers, coverage but have ignored yesterday’s protests.
@M Bowe: You did not get blanket coverage of a protest and it is a MSM plot.
They cover a certain amount of things and they mentioned the protest in context of the over issue.
It is constantly been brought up in articles on the issue
It’s an article in The Mail, talking to his anti EU brethren. There is some in the Tory’s that will stop Frostie doing anything rash.
There’s more to this than meets the eye. UKG doesn’t give a toss about NI.
@Rúraíocht: Absolutely. They have an end game in mind. My guess: finally getting rid of N.I.
At this stage who knows what they are going to do, including them.
UK government keeps digging itself holes to fall into.
I do not like Coveney at all but he seems to be the hardest working Minster in the cabinet.
Put up border posts give in to nothing
The sooner there is an election the better
have your say