LIMERICK people are taking their own lives because they are breaking under the strain of mounting debts.
That is the belief of the founder of the Life after Debt advice organisation.
Seamus Sherlock is organising the ‘Walk to Unity” event in Limerick on December 10.
“I’m getting more than 25 calls every day from people who are crushed by debt. I know people who only eat every second day.
“I’ve gone to funerals of five people I knew in the last year who died by suicide and I’m not saying this was all down to financial pressure but I guarantee that that was the biggest factor,” he told the Limerick Post.
“I got a terrifying call at 1am from a man who wanted to thank me for all the work I had done but he said that it was too late for him, that he would be gone before morning. I pleaded with him on the phone for hours but when he hung up, I couldn’t get him back – it was a private number. I don’t know if that man is still alive,” Seamus told the Limerick Post.
Since his own fuel business went under two years ago, Seamus – a father of five – has gone through the wringer of dealing with finance companies.
“I had no one to talk to at that time and I felt it would be so helpful for people just to have someone to talk to. I started just advising people who told me about their debt problems and it grew by word of mouth
“From there I set up the ‘Life After Debt’ organisation and Facebook page because there are so many people who don’t know how to negotiate with credit card companies and banks”.
Seamus, from Feohanagh, now organises meetings and gives individual advice all for free and, he says, his busiest time is from 7pm to 10pm every day.
The Life after Debt Facebook page shows the anger out there, with suggestions for “Don’t Pay the Mortgage” month among others
“That’s when people get home from work and get the kids to bed and then they sit down with all these bills and just don’t know what to do.
“The unemployed are having a really hard time but working people are the new poor. I was talking to a nurse who hasn’t even looked at the tyres on her car for more than a year. Another woman who rang me tells me she is watering her milk down 75 per cent, These are working people”.
Seamus is hoping that the city walk will be supported by people from every walk of life. “Working people, pensioners, unemployed, students – we want a show of unity because working people are being pitted against the unemployed,” he said.
The Walk to Unity will start from Merchant’s Quay with assembly around 12.30 pm and the walk starting at 1pm on Saturday, December 10.
The walk will go to the People’s Park where there will be a short address. Seamus is contactable on the ‘Life After Debt ‘ Facebook page.
