Paul Joyce: Financial costs do not add up for large number of households  

Now that the new year has arrived, many will be concerned how far the electricity subsidies will stretch through the rest of the winter.

Here’s hoping that people got the Christmas they were dreaming of and that it didn’t cost more than people were able to afford, assuming it was affordable at all.

Some people no doubt were glad the cold snap gave way to slightly warmer weather, so that the heat could be turned down or off. Now that the new year has arrived, many will be concerned how far the electricity subsidies will stretch through the rest of the winter, how repayments on loans will be met, and how the rent will be paid. If so, they are amongst a growing number of Irish households for whom the numbers just don’t add up.