The cost-of-living crisis affects not only those who are struggling financially but also the organisations tasked with assisting them.
SSE Airtricity announced a massive increase in energy prices of more than 45% yesterday.
From October 1st, gas unit prices will rise by more than 46%, while electricity prices will rise by 45%. Customers’ bills will rise by €1,100 per year as a result.
According to Annette Fox, the CEO of the Carlow County Development Partnership, rising costs also limit the ability of organisations like hers to assist people in desperate need.
She told KCLR’s The Way It Is: “We run vans, obviously. We run a care and repair service for older people. Our cost in terms of diesel has doubled what we can afford to buy. Let’s say we were looking last year at providing coal and briquettes and things like that for older people. What we can purchase with, let’s say, €1,000 now is less than half of what we could purchase last year. That has a direct impact.”
Catch up on the full interview with Matt O’Keeffe here.
