The National Director of the Society of St.Vincent de Paul has said that the Society is dealing with an increase in the number of people who would never have expected to have to seek help with their problems. This reflects the very serious financial problems facing many families in Ireland.
Kieran Murphy was speaking at a forum hosted by President Mary McAleese at Árus an Uachtaráin, under the title "Resilience in Tough Times - Civic Society's Response," which brought together voluntary and community groups to discuss how they could provide help to those in need in difficult times.
Kieran Murphy said that since 2008 there had been a 30 per cent increase in calls for help to the Society of St.Vincent de Paul. People's needs were much more basic than in the recent past and included looking for help with food, energy bills and the cost of education.
"There has been an increase in the number of people who have never before approached the Society of St.Vincent de Paul and who, in their wildest dreams, would never have thought that they would needed our assistance."
On the positive side, there has also been an increase in people volunteering to help and this has enabled the Society to extend its assistance.
"People want to get involved when they see the extent of the suffering amongst others around them," said Mr. Murphy.
President McAleese told the delegates that the State "could not create community," people cold and in Ireland "we are good at it."
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