Growing poverty - Enormous challenge

THE huge increase in the number of people seeking the help of debt management or support agencies is testament to our rapidly changing circumstances.

More than 14,000 people have contacted the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) for the first time this year. Poverty campaigners St Vincent de Paul report that calls from newly impoverished people to its Dublin office have increased by almost 40% over last year. The organisation says its offices around the country are dealing with a similar increase in demand.

MABS also revealed the average debt owed by new clients is €11,600, compared with €7,600 in 2007.