Covid-19 Ireland. Social Protection Measures for Those Already Living in Poverty

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Ireland is concerned about the impact of this health crisis on the most vulnerable groups and calls on the Irish government to put in place preventative measures for the most deprived people. 

In a recent press release, the SSVP Ireland’s Head of Social Justice, Tricia Keilthy, remarked that “people in receipt of social welfare and living below the poverty line will be faced with additional energy, food and healthcare costs during the crisis, yet there are no additional income measures to support them. People in poverty are more likely to be in poor health, have a disability, or to be caring for others, so it is vital to provide additional supports during this crisis to keep them afloat”.

SSVP’s National President, Kieran Stafford said: “In the coming weeks, we expect to see an increased demand for our support as families find themselves in financial stress and hardship. We will be here to respond to those who request our help, but it is important that sufficient preventative measures are put in place so that families don’t fall deeper into poverty”.

Read full media release: https://www.svp.ie/news-media/news/svp-concerned-covid-19-social-protection-measures.aspx?cat=socialjustice