For a country that dragged itself out of poverty to wealth, we have certainly left a lot of people behind.

St Vincent de Paul, at the coalface of citizens’ attempts to keep up, not with the neighbours, but with the bare essentials, has called for a €16-a-week welfare increase to keep pace with the cost of living. And that’s just the core rate, and not including other allowances that are vital to many people’s survival.

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