Charity pays funeral cost for families in debt

ONE of Ireland’s biggest charities is paying for more funerals — many of them due to suicide — as growing numbers of households buckle under financial strain.

Launching its Christmas appeal yesterday, St Vincent de Paul (SVP) said now was “a time of tremendous despair”, reflected in rises of up to 50% in calls to their offices looking for help.

SVP national vice-president John Monaghan strongly criticised Finance Minister Brian Lenihan for targeting cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage in the forthcoming budget.