Galway families living in fear of cold spells

A white Christmas will not be high on the wish list for hundreds of families across the city, hard pressed to keep their houses warm over the festive season.

This week, the city’s Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), said that as well as basic necessities such as food and clothing, many families were also in serious need of fuel supplies this Christmas.

“Energy and heating is a challenge for many city families and just as much this winter as in the past two years. We do help out where we can with bags of coal – the situation is very pressing again this Christmas,” said local SVP President Michael McCann.

He also advised hard pressed families to get their electricity and gas suppliers to fit the new meters [essentially pay as you go] where a certain percentage of the contribution would go to arrears and the rest on day-to-day usage.

“Most importantly, where families and individuals are falling behind with their energy bills, the really critical thing is for them to make contact with the provider and make them aware of the situation.

“The last thing anyone wants to see is a family having their electricity cut off, especially in wintertime when it can lead to real hardship.

“While we certainly don’t ask families in need, to start reducing heat in their homes, we would advise them to put in place commonsense measures like, for example, maybe cutting off the heat in a room not being used.

“But this is wintertime and people need to heat their dwellinghouses adequately. We will do what we can to help ease the situation for families who are under pressure to keep heat and energy in their homes,” said Mr McCann.

He said that where families were under pressure to provide food and clothing for their children, the money just mightn’t be there to buy the fuel or to pay for their electricity or gas.

“There is just no sign this Christmas of any easing off in demand from needy families around the city and county. The need is every bit as much as it was last year and the year before and we are very dependent on the contributions and donations we receive this time of the year,” said Michael McCann.

In a statement issued by the SVP in Dublin this week, they said that many less well-off families could reduce their energy bills by over €2,500 per year, if their properties had a better energy rating and a greater degree of insulation.

According to John Mark McCafferty, SVP Head of Social Justice and Policy, while energy prices have increased by 25% since 2009, the fuel allowances have decreased by up to €120 per season.