The Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of Ireland fund-raising campaign, launched in conjunction with Protestant Aid in May last year, had a remarkable response, with over €150,000 donated through the parish network.

Half the fund was expended on specific cases during 2010 and the balance was utilised in 2011.

Even before the Celtic Tiger era, there was an unacceptable level of poverty among the Protestant community so the situation was only getting worse in the current recession. The Appeal asked all parishioners to give whatever they could afford to help those who were struggling financially in these difficult times.

A startling rise in the number of applications to Protestant Aid for emergency grants is the clearest indicator of just how serious the present economic situation is for the average man in the street.

Hardly a day goes by but we hear about the financial hardships experienced by people at all levels of society, with job losses, business closures, growing emigration to greener pastures, the threat of pay cuts and tax increases feeling of despair that the end is not really in sight.

Allied to the very high unemployment figures, the budgets have impacted severely on people’s net earnings and with further cuts being inevitable, it will result in even more reductions in peoples’ take-home pay.

It is expected that Ireland’s recovery will be slower than most of its EU partners and pressures on charities like Protestant Aid are expected to remain (and indeed increase) in the years ahead.

Over 750,000 people – 17%+ of the Irish population – have incomes less than the standard poverty line (as recognised by the European Commission and the United Nations), a factor contributing to the increasing number of applications to Protestant Aid.

Many of these belong to what are known as the ‘New Poor’, who earn little, pay for everything and qualify for virtually nothing, being just outside the income thresholds for such critical benefits as back-to-school allowances, rent allowances or medical cards.

PA responds to calls from clergy, social workers, neighbours and others, irrespective of religious or ethnic background and can do so thanks to the continuous support of loyal, long-standing subscribers, major one-off donations, highly valuable legacies and a generous €150K in support from the Department of Community, Equality & Gaeltacht Affairs.