Single-parent families resorting to moneylenders

Recession-hit one-parent families are turning to "legal and illegal" money lenders to survive; live with the fear of going hungry at some stage every week — and are barely able to pay heating bills, or afford children’s clothes.

The situation has been graphically outlined in a detailed new St Vincent de Paul report on single-parent families who have been affected by the recession.

According to the document, which can be read in full at www.svp/oneparentfamilies, and is based on the experiences of 61 families known to the charity, there are currently 215,315 one-parent families in Ireland.