“The Society of St Vincent de Paul in Ireland has faced many challenges over its 176 years in the country. But the current COVID-19 pandemic is probably one of the most difficult,” said new president, Rose McGowan.

“This generous donation of 2,000 books will greatly benefit so many children and families across the country,” said SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

“The concentration of job losses in low paid sectors means that the impact (of COVID-19) has disproportionately fallen on groups that are least able to endure a financial hit,” said Kieran Stafford, national president, SVP.

The experience of ongoing disadvantage takes a physical, psychological and social toll on the lives of too many children and adults, and the effects can be long lasting, says SVP National President, Kieran Stafford.

"We fear moneylenders will end up targeting people who will just not be able to repay loans at the exorbitant interest rates they are charging," says SVP president Kieran Stafford.

“Participants will have to think about and calculate every item they consume. However, this is the reality of hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland every day,” says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

"In our experience, the biggest driver of poverty in recent years is housing costs," says SVP president Kieran Stafford, calling on voters to exercise their electoral power to make politicans reduce the misery of poverty in Ireland today.

“The high cost of energy here in Ireland should be considered a key contributor to utility arrears and the inability of people to adequately heat their homes,” says the SVP’s Dr Tricia Keilthy.

“For a rich country like Ireland, it is unacceptable that so many people are going without basics,” said Kieran Stafford, National President, SVP.

“Like a Christmas Angel, your gift of hope could bring little miracles to those who need it most this winter,” says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

Christmas puts serious strain on the resources of those who seek help from the SVP.

"It is totally unacceptable for a rich country like Ireland that so many children have no place to call home,” said SVP National President Kieran Stafford.

‘We don’t believe that this budget protects those most vulnerable in the event of a No-Deal Brexit,’ says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

“Even though times have changed fundamentally since then, the core need still continues to be much the same.”

In Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul receives more than 130,000 calls for assistance a year – about 11 percent more than it did five years ago.

The SVP is calling on government to introduce an interest rate cap that reduces the total cost of credit that moneylenders can legally charge.

A record 9,104 people were homeless in January this year of which more than 3,000 were children

There are 70,000 more Irish children living in poverty than there were in 2008 and more than one in ten of our children experience persistent poverty.

“Based on the experience of our 11,000 members, we are willing to engage with Government to relate how future policies should be poverty proofed and work for those families that are struggling,” - Kieran Stafford, SVP National President.

This is a particularly difficult time for families worrying about upcoming Christmas expenses and getting through the winter months when energy bills are at their highest.

“Social justice is the cornerstone of what we do. I have been strongly involved in social justice at an advocacy level by making pre-budget submissions and I will continue to be involved in that important work,” says Kieran Stafford.