Almost a third of families have had to sacrifice spending on essential household bills because of delays in the student grant, it emerged.

Students are relying on their parents for more than €100 a week to keep them in college, with most families depending on their savings or turning to credit cards and loans to meet the bills.

A fifth of households said they will miss the property tax payment deadline because they do not have the money.

A new survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions has found that 1.6 million people have €50 or less to live on every month after their bills are paid.

Over 1.6 million people in Ireland now have just €100 to spare at the end of each month, according to new research carried out by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU).

I FEEL obliged to correct any misunderstandings that may occur as a result of the column by Bill Hobbs (‘Tsunami of debt looms ominously on the horizon’, February 15).

There is a palpable sense of public outrage over the Beverley Flynn settlement.

LABOUR criticised the Government last night for spending almost €6 million of taxpayers' money on special advisers and spin doctors last year.

MARTIN CULLEN’S €1,200-a-day PR adviser, Monica Leech, has been paid more taxpayers’ money than it costs to employ the entire staff of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s press office for a full year.

Political Correspondent Fionnán Sheahan on the mysterious world of political advisers.

INDEPENDENT senator David Norris yesterday condemned the Star newspaper for its coverage of the result of the Mandy Johnston libel trial.