100,000 calls to SVP as Kenny says no child should go hungry

The number of calls to the St Vincent De Paul broke the 100,000 barrier last year, it was revealed, as Taoiseach Enda Kenny said no child should be going to school hungry.

Calls made to St Vincent De Paul’s four main centres in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and the Mid-West amounted to 97,610, with calls made to its other nine regional centres pushing the figure above 100,000.

That is more than double the number of calls received by the charity in 2009 and comes as some of its offices spend record amounts of money trying to keep families provided with essentials such as warmth and heat.