Ms Rose McGowan:

From the number of calls we have received, I agree completely that many people did not access our service and would not phone us. They may feel that they just could not take the last step to make a phone call. In every radio and newspaper interview we have done during the pandemic, we have made certain to say that the only criterion to get our help is need. We have emphasised that people should not be afraid to come to us and we have asked them to do so. Some people, however, will always be uncomfortable coming to St. Vincent de Paul. Many more people are living in poverty than the 190,000 calls we receive.

Turning to the issue of the DEIS schools, I agree completely with Deputy Murnane O’Connor. I have spoken to people who enrolled or moved their children to a DEIS school. It was not only due to the availability of free meals in those schools, but also because classroom sizes are smaller and other supports are available. Therefore, this whole area must be explored. Regarding the food aspect, and to give an example, we had a call just before Christmas from a home school liaison teacher. We work closely with schools and the home school liaison system is wonderful. That teacher, who was in a DEIS school, was working with 12 families who would not access help through us, because they said the neighbours would know, etc. We just put 12 bags of food into the boot of the car and delivered them to the school, with toys and books and other things. The activity operated through the system in confidence.

We advised that teacher to sit down with those families in the new year. It was not possible to visit houses, so what she was doing during the year was having families come into the school one day each week. She could not visit their houses on the other days. Now, she is going to work with those families to let them know there are many ways of getting support, even if they do not want us to come out to them. We have childcare facilities in our resource centres, and that shows how important access to childcare is. People trust the teachers in our childcare facilities and resource centres. A rapport is built up, and that means people can access many more things as a result. Teachers refer people to us and explain what our conferences, which are our branches, do. It might involve help with food, school or whatever.

A great many people are living in poverty and, as the Deputy said, it is not always social welfare payment recipients. During the first full lockdown, people working had some savings, but they used them all up. There are no savings now. A couple who had both been working came to us recently. They had both lost their low-paid jobs. One had been working in the hospitality sector. They got the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, for which they were grateful. A two-bedroom cottage in the inner city of Dublin cost them €1,800 a month. That was the first thing that had to be paid, and then the rest of their bills. Those two people, who had been working, came to us wondering if we had food. We of course told them to come to the food bank and we helped with a bill, etc. They had no children, but that woman did not realise that we would help with a bill for electricity. It is something for us to look at as well in respect of trying to ensure that we get more information out about what we do.

The woman decided to do an online course during Covid to upskill. We helped with the purchase of a laptop. That girl came at Christmas to the food bank to collect because we were doing food plus Christmas food. She came with a box of chocolates, so grateful that we had supported them. They kept their home and kept their bills going. It is to be hoped that in light of the announcement last Friday, they will both be back at work. It is people who are in work at the moment; it is not all social welfare recipients.