Latest news with #SVP
Hans India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
NGT issued orders halting SVP, points out YSRCP
Nellore: YSR Congress Party MLC Parvathareddy Chandrasekhar Reddy on Tuesday said that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the immediate stoppage of the controversial Street Vending Project (SVP) being developed on the Jafar Saheb Canal in Nellore city. Speaking to the media at the YSRCP office in Nellore, the MLC said the NGT had issued these directions considering public concerns over environmental pollution and traffic issues in the area. Chandrasekhar Reddy alleged that Minister Narayana was trying to hand over nearly 200 shop spaces to his followers without transparency. He said this project not only threatens the environment but also undermines public interest. He termed the NGT's orders as a slap on the face of the coalition government and Minister Narayana, who were acting recklessly with public resources. He also highlighted that during the YSRCP rule, around Rs 120 crore was spent on the beautification and development of the canal, including protective walls, a 100-ft road with dividers, and a walking track, all done with contributions and sacrifices from poor residents. The MLC raised concerns that setting up shops along the canal would lead to dumping of waste, block pedestrian walkways, and create serious drainage and flooding issues during the monsoon. He said even a five-member committee including senior officials had already flagged these problems in a report. Chandrasekhar Reddy said the NGT appreciated his environmental efforts and clearly directed that shops should not be constructed until all safeguards are completed. He stated he would meet the Collector to ensure strict implementation of the NGT's orders.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Saint Vincent de Paul in Wicklow on food price rises and how they help local families
David Loane, who is SVP area president for Wicklow and covers the region from Bray down as far as Arklow, said the 'cost of living is certainly a much bigger issue this year'. Where energy bills were the biggest challenge in recent years, particularly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, he said 'we're noticing a lot more people now looking for help with food – just food, basic food". 'If you just look at the basic basket of food – meat, butter, cheap dairy, bread – all of those items have gone up significantly in the past 12 months,' David said. 'While the Consumer Price Index (CPI) produced a rate of inflation which looks as if it's okay, it just doesn't reflect what's happening in the shopping basket,' he added. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) last week confirmed the rate of food inflation since June last year has been higher than the general rise in prices across the economy. Food inflation rose by 4.6pc, more than double that of the general CPI, which rose by 1.8 per cent in the same period. For example, the national average price of full fat milk per two litres was up 27 cents, butter rose by €1.10 per pound and the average price of Irish cheddar per kilogramme increased by 95 cents. A white sliced pan increased by six cents in the year to June 2025. "We're seeing a much wider spectrum of people contacting us,' David continued. 'Typically in the past we've had people who were on low income, people on low social welfare or social protection payments, who run into an unexpected crisis like the washing machine breaks or whatever, and we'd have to help them out. 'But now we're seeing people who traditionally you would have thought should be okay because they're earning a reasonable wage. But they're struggling. It's definitely the food, the increase in price of food, which has suddenly catapulted over the past 12 months. 'Now a lot of people are reducing the amount they're buying and they're maybe going for less branded goods to try and cut down on the cost. Certainly the requests we're getting are more and more for help with food vouchers.' Food vouchers are the donation of choice and have replaced the traditional food parcels, so people can make their own decisions as to what they buy. The SVP still has to buy the food vouchers, and some supermarkets give a discount of 5pc, but it's not enough to meet the demand. "Probably that's about the extent of what we get in terms of help from the main supermarkets on the voucher of buying it,' David said, adding that the levels of donation in recent years to the society has taken a hit too, 'because people don't have the money to give, or they're trying to spread it around to other deserving charities as well'. ADVERTISEMENT Aside from handing out food vouchers, imparting advice is also a big part of what the SVP volunteers do, as a way of helping struggling families budget better. 'If people are struggling and there's very little food, we don't think twice about it, we just give them vouchers. Now, if they're consistently coming back to us, we may then do a more in-depth analysis of what's going on. Because we can't afford to become another branch of the Department of Social Protection in handing out kind of weekly help. We'd be out of money fairly quickly. "We go and meet them and chat to them and see, first of all, if we can help them with the budgeting side of their income. So what are they spending their money on? And is there a better way that they can budget? And many of them are very open to that. 'Typically this time of the year, we would see a dip in the request for help, you know, kids are off school, summer months, and things would quiet down. But things haven't quietened down this summer. I'd say requests for help are up about 20pc. I think that graph is continuing to project upwards. 'I read a recent quote recently where someone described it quite accurately – you could see two cars in the driveway, but nothing in the fridge. It's the unseen poverty that's going on, where people are really struggling. And because they're working, they don't think they should ever contact the Society of Vincent DePaul. But actually, they need as much help as some of the people we are helping.' David added that very often, 'the complexity of the request for help can be quite distressing'. The Government's 'ongoing failure' to tackle the cost of groceries was recently highlighted by Wicklow Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore, who warned families across the county 'are being left behind while supermarket giants continue to profit'. 'Since 2021, grocery prices have risen by a staggering 36pc,' she told the Dail on Wednesday, July 9. 'That's an extra €3,000 a year on the average family's food bill. This is not just inflation, it's a crisis,' she said. 'Every family in Wicklow is feeling the pinch. They know exactly what they're sacrificing from their household budgets just to keep food on the table. And yet, the Government continues to sit on its hands. In 2023, the Government promised to get a handle on this issue. The minister talked tough and said prices would come down. That hasn't happened. Families are still waiting.' Her party brought forward a proposal to seek more transparency, to find out 'who is making the profits, and on whose backs'. 'We called on the Government to regulate the big profit-makers just a little more. To put in place basic transparency measures so we can see where the money is going and why prices are rising. This isn't about small corner shops or local retailers. It's about the five major supermarket chains in Ireland, Dunnes, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, and SuperValu,' she said. "The grocery sector is worth €15bn. It's an incredibly profitable industry. And yet, the Government refuses to ask these giants to publish even the most basic data. They refuse to step up to the plate and demand accountability.' David believes there could be some assistance provided by the State but unlike where one-off payments were given in the past to help with energy bills across the board, 'they could target the people who really need it the most'.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Social welfare €16 weekly rate boost & Child Benefit €6 & €15 hike calls in Budget 2026 key ‘tangible differences' alert
INCREASING child supports, living alone and disability payments in Budget 2026 will "give support where it is most needed" amid rising living costs, according to a leading Irish charity. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul ( Advertisement 3 The poverty charity expects 250,000 calls this year Credit: Getty 3 SVP made 15 suggestions in its pre-Budget statement Credit: Getty Budget 2026 will see It comes as the volunteer organisation expects the amount of calls for help this year to approach 250,000. And they said that "financial adequacy and stability" must be at the heart of social protection measures "to prevent further hardship". Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY The group's Delivering an Equal and Inclusive Budget submission includes 19 measures that focus on tackling child poverty, in-work poverty, childcare, housing, living alone, One of the key suggestions is to increase the core adult social protection rate by €16 per week, bringing it to €260. The "Without this increase that accounts for inflationary pressure since 2020, low-income households are falling further behind." Advertisement Most read in Money A second suggestion is that child support is increased by €6 for under 12s and €15 for over 12s. They explained that the evidence is based on Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) 2025 report, which claims that current rates fall behind the necessary amount to ensure income equality for children. New round of $1,702 'permanent' stimulus checks to automatically hit accounts in just days – see if yours is on the way SVDP said: " It shows that for children aged 12 and over, current payments meet just 64% of their essential needs, while for those in primary "Older children in particular face increased costs related to education, nutrition, and social inclusion, and these costs are not reflected in the current child supports structure." Advertisement A third call made by the charity is an increase of the living alone allowance, paid out to those who are living by themselves and receiving a social They explained that the increase would be a targeted measure to support households facing a disproportionately higher cost of living relative to multi-person households. WEEKLY DISABILITY PAYMENT SVDP also called on the government to introduce a weekly €55 They said: "This is in response to what SVP members witness firsthand from people living with a disability, such as the additional costs of transport, difficulties accessing employment, or the burden of extra heating needs." Advertisement Rose McGowan, SVP National President, said: 'For Budget 2026, we are appealing to the government to focus on a holistic approach to make real and tangible differences for the most vulnerable in our society.' 'The latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) figures are deeply concerning – consistent poverty has increased from 3.6% to 5%, with an even higher increase for children, jumping from 4.8% to 8.5% in just one year. 'CONSISTENT POVERTY' "That's over 45,000 more children now living in consistent poverty. These are not abstract statistics – they represent children growing up in cold bedrooms, going to school hungry, and missing out on the social and educational experiences that are fundamental to a healthy childhood.' 'We know from our experience on the frontline that the right policy choices do make a difference – we saw it with the introduction of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. Advertisement "Budget 2026 must continue that momentum, with targeted structural reforms to ensure adequate incomes and real pathways out of poverty.' SVP Head of Social Policy, Louise Bayliss said: 'The temporary, one-off cost-of-living payments from the government provided critical short-term relief in recent years. MAIN PROPOSALS Other key recommendations proposed by SVP for the forthcoming Budget: Increase and Index-Link the Income Disregard for One-Parent Family Payment (OPFP) and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) Make childcare affordable by increasing the subsidy and threshold for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). Ensure every child in emergency accommodation has access to a child support worker. Continue the roll out of free hot school meals to all children and ensure ongoing evaluation of the nutritional content. Increase the provision of social housing stock and affordable cost rental homes for vulnerable and low-income households. Introduce a homeless prevention budget amounting to 20% of all homeless expenditure. Provide capital funding to address the long-term accommodation needs for those in direct provision with status to remain. Allocate €10 million to establish local, publicly run Early Childhood, Education and Care (ECEC) services. Make our state education system truly free by removing costs and charges to families including mock exam and correction fees, electronic devices and school uniforms. Benchmark SUSI grants and reckonable income levels against the cost of living. Increase Fuel Allowance by €9.50 per week. Extend the Fuel Allowance to recipients of the working Family Payment. Pilot a community energy advice service. Increase funding to the Waiting List Initiative to clear the waiting list and backlog for the Assessment of Need process. Allocate sufficient funding to fully implement the National Therapy Service in mainstream education settings. "However, with these supports now withdrawn, low-income households are left exposed to high living costs and growing financial insecurity. "Poverty in a wealthy country like Ireland is a policy failure but our next Budget offers a vital opportunity to put financial certainty and dignity at the heart of Government decision-making. Advertisement 'Rising poverty and homelessness rates should not be happening in a wealthy country with a growing economy, Budget 2026 can and should make a difference to the people we support.' 3 Increasing child welfare and disability payments are among the calls made by the group Credit: Getty
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Charity calls for targeted measures to help financially insecure families with soaring cost of living
Irish families have been left exposed to growing financial insecurity linked to the spiralling cost of living, and targeted measures must support them in this autumn's budget, a leading charity has said. In its pre-budget submission, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) said with one-off-measures for all households now a thing of the past, it was vital to get the approach right to help families who need it most, as it expects to receive 250,000 calls for help this year. 'Poverty in a wealthy country like Ireland is a policy failure, but our next budget offers a vital opportunity to put financial certainty and dignity at the heart of Government decision-making,' SVP's head of social policy Louise Bayliss said. Rising poverty and homelessness rates should not be happening in a wealthy country with a growing economy. The charity said the core adult social protection rate must be increased by €16 a week, while increases should also be made to the Living Alone Allowance and the introduction of a weekly cost of disability payment to cover the additional costs facing people with a disability. Child income supports should also be increased, according to SVP, as current rates fall 'significantly short of what is needed". Other measures it called for included the benchmarking of third-level student grants with the cost of living, increasing the fuel allowance by €9.50 a week, and the piloting of a community energy advice service. The charity's national president Rose McGowan said the latest figures on poverty, which show around 45,000 more children are now living in consistent poverty in Ireland, demonstrate the clear need for action. 'These are not abstract statistics — they represent children growing up in cold bedrooms, going to school hungry, and missing out on the social and educational experiences that are fundamental to a healthy childhood,' she said. 'We know from our experience on the frontline that the right policy choices do make a difference — we saw it with the introduction of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. Budget 2026 must continue that momentum.' Read More MABS sees 10% surge in families in debt due to soaring cost of living
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Your Building Is Talking. Here's How To Listen With AI And Automation
Riaz Raihan is SVP & Chief Digital Officer at Trane Technologies. Why the big push toward digitization in the built environment? What aspects of a building have the most potential for positive operational and environmental impact? What does long-term value truly look like? In an era where buildings' energy management and cost efficiency are paramount, these questions are increasingly relevant. Rising energy rates and a significant shift from equipment and services-based needs to broader outcome-driven demand make finding answers crucial. Despite breakthrough innovation over the last several years, buildings still can't actually speak to us. They do, however, constantly give us non-verbal cues through technologies like AI and autonomous controls. These digitization solutions can significantly reduce buildings' operating costs and their carbon footprint. So, the question to ask is: Your building is talking, but do you know how to listen? The Discreet Cool Factor We've all heard how cool, cutting-edge technologies like AI and autonomous controls are enhancing productivity, efficiency and decision-making across nearly every sector. It's easy, and warranted, to get excited about them, especially in the built environment. As I've seen in my role as senior vice president and chief digital officer at Trane Technologies, AI and automation are being practically applied in HVAC systems to support outcome-based performance. And for good reason, as more than 50% of a building's operating cost can be attributed to its heating, ventilation and cooling. However, digital technologies require significant power to sustain and advance their capabilities, increasing strain on our grids and energy consumption. As such, we can't fall into the trap of implementing digital just because it's trendy. The true allure of digitization and AI in the built environment lies in their ability to deliver operational cost savings, emissions reductions and optimal performance, which I see as their most discreet cool factor. Interpreting Your Buildings' Non-Verbal Cues This is where your buildings' non-verbal cues and your ability to "listen" become critically important. Digitally enabled AI technologies like autonomous controls can help us look at both structured data (building layout, indoor temperatures, equipment specifications) and unstructured data (weather patterns and forecasts, pollution data, occupancy patterns) to optimize buildings' energy performance. As AI-enabled building controls learn how to respond to changing conditions, including energy pricing fluctuations, they can autonomously optimize energy performance and enable cost-effective predictive maintenance. I like to frame this in the context of streaming platforms, which regularly feed us new and interesting content, showcasing the value of our monthly subscriptions—so much so that we are often compelled to set them on auto-renew. But what happens when the content becomes stale? If you go weeks without anything new catching your eye, you start doubting its value, right? You might even cancel one subscription and opt for another. The same mindset can be true for the built environment, but that's also where digital enablement drives significant value—by reading and acting on a building's non-verbal cues. Technologies like digital twins, building automation systems and autonomous controls capture real-time data and advanced analytics—continuously optimizing system performance by enhancing efficiency and reducing energy consumption and operational costs. Leveraging these solutions can help you listen to and understand your buildings while enabling energy and cost savings, demonstrating their ROI and economic viability. In some cases, I've seen energy savings of 25% to 35% and paybacks of 12 to 18 months. Just like streaming platforms continue to feed us fresh and engaging content, proving the worth of their subscription fees, a building's digital technologies also deliver consistent, real-time value. Potential Challenges Turned Successful Outcomes Implementing these technologies requires a comprehensive approach. Additional factors, including data requirements, computing capabilities and internal skills must be considered. The availability of historical energy use data and operational data on a building's HVAC systems and other parameters is critical for identifying patterns and improvement areas. This is a key component of autonomous controls and building automation systems. Access to a building's architectural plans and layouts is also essential for creating accurate digital twins. A robust cloud infrastructure to process large volumes of data and reliable and secure communication protocols for data transmission and storage must also be factored in. But access to information is null if you forget the most important piece of the implementation puzzle: a skilled talent pipeline adept at analyzing data and machine learning techniques to derive actionable insights and reduce latency. While innovative digitization technologies are changing the game for reducing energy demand and emissions across the built environment, prioritizing the talent to advance them is vital. Of course, implementation can still come with challenges, including data integration and system interoperability. Integrating data from a variety of sources (sensors, historical records, occupancy and weather patterns) into a unified system can be complex and time-consuming. Different systems may also use varying formats, making it harder to standardize and harmonize data for analysis. But these potential challenges can be turned into successful outcomes. One important aspect is having a centralized platform capable of aggregating data into a single repository, where data is more easily accessed, managed and analyzed. Driving Demand-Based Outcomes The built environment has seen decades of trends and shifting perspectives from building owners and facility managers. Fifty years ago, the only thing customers cared about was the capital investment needed to install a high-quality HVAC system. Eventually, that progressed to high-quality and well-maintained systems, with good indoor air quality. Today, things look drastically different. Customers demand outcomes, not just equipment that meets their day-to-day heating and cooling needs. They require high-quality, well-maintained, smart and adaptable machines that help reduce emissions, cut costs and optimize energy consumption. This aggregation of behavioral change affirms the growing demand for purpose-driven, sustainable technology that drives energy efficiency and decarbonization. AI and digital technologies can leverage the things that your building and its environment are telling you to drive these outcomes, underscoring the importance of your ability to listen to your building when it's talking to you. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
