The National President of the Society of St.Vincent de Paul has bluntly challenged the Government to answer the question of whether it cares about the suffering of the people, which its policies are creating.
“Does anyone in Government know or understand the plight of people every day? Does anyone care?" Mairead Bushnell asked when she addressed 700 leaders of the Society. They met at the Croke Park conference centre in Dublin to analyse the increase in social problems caused by the current economic crisis. The SVP is experiencing a huge level of extra calls for assistance from people in serious financial difficulties.
"Every new proposal or suggestion to solve our economic problems targets low and middle income earners. At the same time money can be found to bail out the banks and pay huge salaries and bonuses” Mairead Bushnell said. She outlined how the changed economic circumstances are affecting the social situation.
The National President said that the Society's volunteers were, on a daily basis, meeting people who were crumbling under large debts and faced with despair in trying to make ends meet.
Mairead Bushnell also made these points when she appeared on Ireland Am's TV show on Monday 19th October.
You can see a slideshow of the Presentation which was displayed on the day here