The money trap - Sustain a thread of humanity

THIS IS probably the worst time of the year to be short of cash, a truly appalling time to be poor.

It can even be a difficult time for many families whose primary breadwinners have decent, ordinary jobs. Any family on the Bertie Figure or less — as defined by our Taoiseach’s pay rise of €38,000 — will be feeling the pinch as we charge towards the annual consummation of our commitment to conspicuous consumption.

The Central Statistics Office tells us that more than a million Irish workers earn less than our Taoiseach’s pay rise as their annual income.