ST VINCENT de Paul has begun organising support sessions for its members because they are under so much stress from their increased workload.
In some deprived areas, the St Vincent de Paul volunteers are asked to make up to 10 visits on families per night, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection was told yesterday.
The charity’s vice-president, Prof John Monaghan, said the society had seen a “huge increase” in the number of calls for help since 2008, and the increase was continuing.
“The pressure on members is so difficult that we are organising sessions to support our own member . . . because of the level of stress they are under.”
The Dublin region was experiencing an increase of 37 per cent in calls so far this year, he said. “Cork is up 53 per cent, Galway city up 46 per cent, and the mid-west up by 20 per cent.”
The committee also heard that some schools were asking the charity for money – up to €20,000 in some cases – because of funding cuts.
Prof Monaghan said the society had expected a major increase in requests for help from new callers because of the recession. However, most of the people being assisted by the society were in receipt of long-term social welfare payments.
Several committee members expressed surprise at this, with Fine Gael’s Olwyn Enright saying the shift in the demographic calling to her office was “huge”. People in employment, business people and farmers were coming to her “and they are all in financial difficulty”.
Prof Monaghan said one in four calls each month came from someone who had not received help from the society before.
He also predicted “a huge influx” in calls for help as children return to school and college in September.
