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Rory's guest this week is Dr Tricia Keilthy, Head of Social Justice and Policy at St Vincent De Paul. They discuss the intensifying cost of living crisis, the 50% increase in calls to SVP for energy support, people going without heat, the need for a rent arrears support fund as a key homelessness and poverty prevention measure.
They look at how the cost of living intersects with the housing crisis in the area of rising rent arrears and evictions, how illogical the concept of moral hazard is in dealing with arrears given long term social costs and trauma, the need for a broader definition and response to poverty that looks at the cost of living and isolation, using the surplus to invest in social infrastructure like childcare and transport, and how financial support for children in Direct Provision falls “shamefully short” of the bare minimum.
The SVP is looking for volunteers: If you can help go to www.svp.ie
The podcast with Housing Minister, Darragh O'Brien is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-83243652