The CEO of a charity that financially supports families with sick children has said there's been a spike in applications for help.
Cliona's Foundation supports parents with children with life-limiting illnesses by contributing to the non-medical expenses that come with caring for a sick child.
Brendan Ring told Newstalk this morning that the charity will have to increase the number of families it supports in response to the influx in applicants.
"We've seen approximately a 20% increase in the number of applications we're receiving compared to this time last year."
Cost of living crisis
Ring said that he expects many families to face a crisis come Autumn and Winter due to the rising cost of living.
"The families that are starting to apply, you wouldn't have necessarily seen those applying before", he said.
"It's leading us to believe that some of our families that wouldn't need our help in the past are now needing so because of that increase in the cost of living."
"Pushed into poverty"
Gas and electricity bills continue to rise, with large energy supplier Panda Energy raising its prices for the seventh time in less than two years.
Its customers can expect electricity bills to increase by 12.7% and gas bills to increase by 25.8% from August 25th.
Richard Boyd Barrett, a People Before Profit TD, has said that ordinary people will be "crippled" by the "utterly unsustainable increases".
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast yesterday, Boyd Barrett said: "Huge numbers of people are going to be pushed into poverty."
"How are people whose incomes have remained more or less static supposed to manage that?"
Profits
Bord Gáis Energy's profits have risen by 74% and Electric Ireland will next week increase its customers electricity and gas bills by 11% and 29% respectively.
"This is a massive transfer of wealth to the corporate energy sector and it is crushing people", said Boyd Barrett. "Many people simply will not be able to sustain this."
Main image shows money and receipts. Image: Daniele Mezzadri/Alamy Stock Photo
