SVP has received 135,000 calls this year
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has received over 135,000 calls this year, a 14% increase on last year. The charity has said that the rise is mainly driven by requests for help with food and energy bills.
Although the free primary school books scheme and the temporary €100 increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) have positively impacted costs of primary school children, the requests for parent contributions and the high costs involved at secondary school continue to pile the pressure on parents. Over 250 parents contacted the Society every day last week about back-to-school costs, with almost 60% of those calls coming from one-parent families.
SVP National President Rose McGowan said: “Meeting parents in their homes this summer, we can see how the provision of free schoolbooks is making a positive difference. More families are just about able to manage primary school costs but requests for ‘voluntary’ contributions are still coming to families and for those with older children the costs are too much to bear.
“We have taken calls from parents who have to pay €600 for an iPad and sometimes they are also asked to pay another €200 for books. The high cost of transition year is increasingly an issue as well.”
“The progress at primary level shows it doesn’t have to be this way and with the right choices in Budget 2024, the Government can make a long-term impact on educational inequalities,” she said.
SVP Head of Social Justice and Policy, Dr Tricia Keilthy said: “Income supports for families are also important. The €100 increase in the Back to School Allowance must be retained and the thresholds increased to allow more low-income working families to access the payment. Retaining Child Benefit for young people over the age of 18 and still in school would also make a big difference to families supporting their children through the expensive Leaving Cert year,” she added.
“While the progress on education costs is to be commended, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis has not abated. The next Budget must have a sustained focus on tackling poverty, particularly with targeted measures for those most at risk of hardship, including one-parent families, families with older children, and people with disabilities,” she said.
Funding boost
Meanwhile, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State, Joe O’Brien TD, last week announced €1.41 million in funding to The Society of St Vincent de Paul.
Minister Humphreys said: “This funding will enable St Vincent de Paul to expand and enhance their services, which do so much in terms of supporting families and individuals right across the country.
“At a time where economic pressures are causing financial hardships for many families, the Government acknowledges the importance role played by SVP and at a local and community level,” she said.
“By providing this funding, the Government is working to ensure that these organisations can address critical areas such as food support, household and education assistance, and tackling energy and fuel poverty,” she added.