Ravaging Cost of Living

THE HEADWINDS OF RECESSION are blowing relentlessly in Ireland. I'm listening to people venting on Twitter.

by Bernie Goldbach in Clonmel

THE HEADWINDS OF RECESSION are blowing relentlessly in Ireland. I'm listening to people venting on Twitter.

A small lad (5/6) on the LUAS just asked his mom if they could go to Tesco’s for dinner.She explained that they have no grocery money until they get a loan from grandad on Thursday & reassured him that ‘it’s only two more nights of toast’. What kind of a f***ing country is this?
-- @MiaBeetle

So sad 😞😞🥹 And it’s enraging that it’s happening in this day and age. But it’s going to get worse, and for people that haven’t previously struggled.
-- @Nursery1994

Passed two guys out walking this eve and one was saying to the other ‘its no joke having no food’.
-- @AnneCronin5

There are so many supports for families (of all shapes and sizes) from both the state and charity section. The VdP and others do food runs, food parcels in confidence etc. No judgement on this mother but help is there if she reaches out. We all need it at times - no shame in it.
-- @CelticPadraig

Dunnes last week and an elderly woman at the till was asking to check again the price of her few items as she couldn't understand how her few bits had come to €17 the girl checked every item apologising all the time and agreeing that it seemed high.

The woman was upset and embarrassed clearly. Guy in front of me gently asked if he could treat her to the items but that made it worse. She counted out all her change and had just enough. Poor girl at the till was upset too.

Irish teens are becoming much more price-aware while scavenging for groceries.
-- @YMTfm

Yes, everybody sees how the price of some items has shot up. People need to shop where prices are clearly displayed (Dunnes is bad at that) & not choose items that have rocketed. There's cheaper similar ones on offer. Long gone the days you can just fill trolley and go to till.
-- @AtlanticWay55

Back when my welfare was paid out on Tuesdays I had to take an emergency commission. To buy what? A loaf of bread and some cheese so I could have protein for the first time in three days, as my cat had got sick and I'd spent my entire dole on the vet. Miserable.
-- @PocketCroc

I really hope low income families are looked after in the incoming budget, I've seen this happen with kids I teach well before the cost of living crisis. Its terribly sad and shouldn't be happening in this day and age.
-- AGRlemma

[Bernie Goldbach runs a microblog and he teaches creative media on the Clonmel Digital Campus for the Technological University of the Shannon.]