A โ€œgrowing amountโ€ of West Clare families are struggling to pay rent and HAP, a local councillor has flagged.

After it emerged that 375 families in the county are dealing with a food and fuel shortage as a result of the pandemic, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) warned that longer-term impacts are coming to the surface.

Speaking at a meeting of the Rural Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC), the Kilkee representative highlighted that โ€œa growing amount of people who would have been very reliant on weekend work or casual employment to make ends meetโ€ are now finding it increasingly difficult to pay their rent or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

โ€œSomething bigger is coming down the track on top of this, I know hands are tied as a Council as to what we can do but it is worth flagging up the chain,โ€ he commented. Cllr Murphy was aware of two families โ€œwell behindโ€ on both payments.

Senior executive officer with the rural and community development section of Clare County Council, Bernie Haugh stated that the issue has previously been raised among the COVID-19 community response forum. โ€œIt is important that people that engage with the system until they got back on top of their billsโ€.

Details of a confidential debt support system within operation by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) were brought to the attention of SPC members by agriculture and farming representative, Denis Tuohy.

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