Aileen epitomises the spirit of what this competition is about, to honour a front line worker who has made sacrifices for others in this crisis and put their own needs behind the needs of others,” said Kieran Stafford, National President, SVP

The new regulation states that where a loan is for basic needs, like accommodation or electricity, moneylenders must inform the consumer that a moneylending loan may not be in their best interest and provide contact information for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS).

“Over the coming years, we will continue to advocate to ensure that measures to tackle poverty are a key priority” – SVP.

A new trend with significant cost implications is the use of digital devices in schools.

“Moneylenders are meeting a need for access to credit but often at a cost which people who are better off and who have other options would baulk at.”

Most people want to see reductions in healthcare waiting lists, increases in social housing provision and reliable high-speed broadband across rural Ireland. To achieve this means there should be no net tax cuts in Budget 2018 – Social Justice Ireland.

Geoff Meagher highlighted how there has been better emphasis on “quality visitation”, spending more time really understanding the needs of those served and coming up with a plan that will get them back to self sufficiency.

“With VAT added, domestic customers are effectively paying a tax on a tax. In the interest of social justice and fairness, we urge a review of the PSO application for low income and struggling energy customers.”

In its Pre-Budget Submission, the SVP quotes estimate that 25-30% of the population requires support in meeting their housing needs due to low incomes and high costs in Ireland.