Growing numbers of people in Kerry are struggling to pay utility bills, with one household in arrears with their electricity bill to the tune of €9,000.
New figures from the Money Advice and Budgeting Service in Kerry, show a surge in the number of people coming to them for help, in the first six months of this year.
Since January, more than 40 new clients have come forward in the county - an increase of over ten percent on the same period last year.
MABS has called for the introduction of Social Energy Tariffs for vulnerable households, along with an overhaul of the HAP housing system of payment, as part of its Budget submission.
Eamonn Foley from MABS Kerry, said that while cost-of-living issues are widespread across the country, problems with paying for electricity seems to be hitting Kerry households particularly hard:
