© Belfast Telegraph
When it is cold, almost four out of 10 use less heating than they would like. Picture posed.
More than seven out of 10 people in Northern Ireland have been deprived of basic essentials such as food due to rising energy bills, exclusive new research has found.
It also emerged that eight out of 10 struggle to adequately heat their homes, while almost everyone worries about being able to pay the bills.
Furthermore, the comprehensive study showed that, when it is cold, almost four out of 10 local people use less heating than they would like.
The shock findings come ahead of a major fuel poverty conference today, which is aimed at tackling the deepening crisis.
It has been prompted by ongoing energy price increases and the revelation that Northern Ireland has more fuel poor homes than anywhere else in the UK - or Western Europe.
The Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Coalition (NIFPC), which is behind the 'Running On Empty' conference, claimed that one in four householders can't afford to keep warm at a reasonable cost.
Indeed, of the four UK nations Northern Ireland (42%) has the greatest proportion of fuel poor households, followed by Wales (29%), Scotland (25%) and England (15%), according to the Fuel Poverty Statistics Report 2013.
Chair of the NIFPC, Pat Austin, said that although the statistics are bad, the real-life stories make for shameful reading.
"I've heard of people putting children to bed and their lips were blue because they were so cold," said Ms Austin.
"In other cases families have been forced to have picnics in shopping centre to keep warm, while some people visit relatives at mealtimes to save money on energy it takes cooking food."
Ms Austin said the NIFPC has called together its 160 members to develop a "reinvigorated plan of attack".
Comment: The logical consequence of pathocracy setting in at the top is the spread of psychopathic values throughout the population.
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