280,000 people find income does not pay bills

A new survey has found a dramatic increase in the number of people who cannot pay their essential bills.

The 'What's Left' tracker by the Irish League of Credit Unions also found that more than 500,000 people see no future for themselves or their children in Ireland.

About 8% of those surveyed, or 280,000 people, are struggling to make ends meet and say their income does not even cover bills like the ESB and mortgage.

Some 7% say they have nothing left after they meet all their commitments, while 23% - more than 800,000 people - say they have just €70 to live on once all the bills are paid.

The CEO of the Irish League of Credit Unions Kieron Brennan said the study was further indication of how hard the ordinary people of Ireland are being hit and showed the crisis for families across Ireland was escalating.