A single mother with three young children is “struggling with food costs and very anxious about Christmas”. A father of four young children is “very upset” because his €244 weekly disability allowance has been cut by €80. An elderly woman who has custody of her two grandchildren has “nothing left for food” after paying her bills.
These are among the stories heard on more than 900 calls for help made during a single morning this week to the St Vincent de Paul eastern region call centre in Dublin.
The centre, on Sean McDermott Street in the north inner city, takes calls from counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. It will receive about 1,500 by the day’s end from households “desperately struggling and stressed”, says Sinead Gill, the information lead for the region.
“We are up 7 per cent on the number of calls since last year. Nationally, there were 250,000 calls in 2024 and, as usual, we are exceptionally busy at Christmas,” she says.
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“People are finding it really, really tough, especially without the extra double-payments. They were a huge help last year, but they’re gone,” she adds, referring to the two double-payment child benefits paid in late 2024 but not repeated in this year’s budget in October.
The housing crisis and the “inadequacy” of social welfare rates to meet basic needs are key drivers of poverty, says Gill.
“You can hear the stress in people’s voices. People are finding it so, so hard to cover the costs of basics like food, heat and even winter clothes for their kids.”
Kate Darcy, one of five information support officers on duty, takes 13 calls over a 25-minute period.
If a caller is on her database, she checks their details before reassuring them a volunteer will contact them to arrange a visit before Christmas. If someone is a first-time caller, she takes details of their situation.
“You’re a couple with four children?,” she asks a mother. “You are all right. No don’t apologise,” she adds “Look, I have you down for the Christmas help. We don’t have a date yet for that area but they will be out and they will call you. Keep your phone on. God bless.”
Another mother calls. “It’s three children you have? And you are struggling in general? I know, I know. I really do ... No problem at all, love; don’t be worrying.”
An older woman in north Dublin calls. “Are your grandchildren still there with you? They are. And how can I help you?”
Darcy explains after the call that the woman missed a visit from volunteers the previous evening.
“I will get them to give you a ring back ... No problem at all. Take care,” she tells the woman,
On her screen a log of locations from which calls have come this morning includes areas all over Dublin: Cherry Orchard; Tallaght; Swords; Crumlin; Rathmines; Chapelizod; from Priorswood on the north side of the city to Rialto on the south side; and from Malahide in north Co Dublin down to Bray in Co Wicklow, and as far as Athy in Co Kildare.
“You get calls from every area – most are from the more struggling areas, but we get calls too from Foxrock, Ranelagh, Blackrock, Killiney,” she says, referring to areas of Dublin known for their affluence.
“There isn’t an area we haven’t had a call from.”
Jackie Ryan, who is logging email requests for help, has had more than 1,000 since last week.
“All need help with food – that or electric, or gas.”
She reads some out, withholding names of senders. A mother in Dublin 10 writes: “I am looking for help for myself and my two boys. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.”
Another mother, in Dublin 8, says: “Dear Vincent de Paul, I am writing to yous to request help. I am struggling immensely keeping up with bills and groceries. I am very concerned with how I am going to afford to buy my son’s presents this year considering I have not been able to save due to being so tight on money.
“I have applied for a part-time job to suits my son’s hours in school to no avail. I am under so much pressure. Any help would be highly appreciated.”
“She is struggling big time,” says Ryan. “God love her.”
A man in his 70s, living alone, writes: “My wife died last year. I am finding it hard on my income.”
A single mother is in homeless accommodation with her daughter. “She will be three in January. I was looking for any sort of help possible for Christmas, anything at all would be greatly appreciated, so much.”
Appeals for help also come in by post. Darcy reads one, written on a page torn from a child’s school copybook.
“I am a full-time carer. My son has [a] disease and my grandson [lives with us]. I would greatly appreciate any help or a food voucher. I have an open fireplace if you could help me with some coal or turf. Thank you kindly.”
Some of the calls can be “very distressing” for call-takers says Margo Duffy, who has been with the society for more than a decade.
“There will be the odd one that just gets you. It is only when you are working in a job like this that you realise there is so much stress out there, so much poverty,” she says.
The charity continues to welcome donations, of money and new toys, says Gill.
“We also need more volunteers. Unfortunately, we cannot visit everyone who calls for help this Christmas because we just don’t have enough volunteers,” she says.
“That is very hard.”
