The Society of St Vincent de Paul is receiving some 800 calls a day. 

The number of requests has surged by 20% since last year with more and more people saying they are unable to afford the cost of living. 

As the charity prepares for the busy Christmas season, it is appealing for donations. 

“The main things we see are energy, housing and food,” SVP’s national president Rose McGowan told Newstalk. 

“In Ireland of 2022, that we have people looking for food, you know, that upsets me personally.” 

In 2022, the Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients will be 100% of their normal weekly social welfare payment. However, Ms McGowan said she is concerned about how people will manage in the New Year. 

“Things have gone up so much,” she said. 

“People were already in debt and I suppose we’re hugely worried now about the next two months but we’re really worried about the New Year - are we going to get more top ups in the New Year? 

“I don’t know but people definitely need them.” 

Pictured is the Social Welfare Office on Thomas Street, Dublin, just before the Budget 2013 is announced. Photo: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

St Vincent de Paul’s figures echo those of housing charity Threshold - which said last month that it receives one call on average every 20 minutes from a desperate renter, usually facing eviction. 

“At the rate we’re seeing them this year, it’s beyond anything that we’ve come across before,” Anne-Marie O’Reilly from the charity told Breakfast Briefing.

“Given how little there is to rent on the market right now, that has become increasingly difficult for people.”

Main image: A woman on the telephone. Picture by: Alamy.com