SVP witnessing little evidence of ‘recovery’

Anti-poverty charity St Vincent de Paul has hit out at Ireland’s claimed recovery, insisting the group is helping the same number of people today as it was at the lowest point of the recession.

Workers for the charity revealed the situation at the launch of its annual Christmas appeal yesterday, warning that despite the Government’s insistence the crisis is over, one-in-10 people are still struggling to cope.

According to the leading charity, volunteers helped 400,000 people in need last year at a cost of almost €40m to the group.