VULNERABLE people living alone now can’t afford the comfort of leaving a light on at night to make them feel a little more secure, the chairman of a Limerick residents association has told the Limerick Post.
“The prospect of not being able to afford heating is a concern for many, especially our older people and the vulnerable. But the concern doesn’t end there,” said John Nugent, chairperson of Garryowen Residents Association.
Mr Nugent explained that people, particularly those on a fixed income, are going to extraordinary lengths to avoid using energy they can ill afford to pay for.
“One lady explained to me how her daily life has been affected. She’s stopped leaving on lights around the house, which used to give her a sense of safety.
“She would leave on the television even when not watching as the background noise made her feel less lonely, she told me. She’s had to stop these practices.
“She’s also started to buy foods that take less time to cook, even though she feels these foods are less nutritious. The threat to people’s everyday lives is huge. This threat must be met with interventions that equal the threat.”
