As the recession deepens and unemployment hits record levels, money is now one of the main reasons why marriages are in trouble.

In some parts of the country, 40% of couples cited financial difficulties as the primary reason for seeking advice, up from just 13% in 2007.

John Farrelly, director of counselling at Accord, the largest provider of counselling and pre-marriage education courses, said that in Tralee, Co Kerry, Tallaght in Dublin, and Newbridge, Co Kildare, more than 25% of couples presenting said finances were their most pressing problem.

This rose to 30% in Monaghan, and in Bray, Co Wicklow, the figure was as high as 40%.

Mr Farrelly said almost 1,500 couples who had received counselling this year indicated finances were a problem.

He said unemployment and redundancy have increasingly become an issue for couples seeking counselling with the service and it was likely to get worse as the year goes on.

Couples looking for help are mainly aged between 30 and 40, and 70% of people who attend counselling have children under the age of 11.

Pat Bennett, head of Family Support Agency (FSA), whose funding from the Department of Social and Family Affairs has risen by e10m since 2006, said its counselling services were under "extreme pressure".

Kevin Smyth, head of the Marriage and Relationship Counselling Service (MRCS), supported by the FSA, said it had recorded a 5% increase in couples seeking help from the same period last year.

Mr Smyth said while communication is always the main reason why couples go to counselling, secondary issues were increasingly related to work and financial strains.

He said most MRCS clients were predominantly under 40 and had been in a relationship for less than 10 years, but there had been a slight increase in people who have been married for 25-30 years seeking advice.

Couples looking for counselling during the day will have to wait about three weeks, he said, but for evening and weekend counselling there is a six- to eight-week wait.

Mr Smyth said help was available regardless of means.

Michael Culloty, spokesman for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), said it is receiving 200 calls a day: "Our client base is up 30% on last year and our core base are couples from late 20s to 40s.

"We see people when they are really under pressure and if needs be will refer couples on to the FSA for counselling."

Mr Culloty said people often come to them in such a state that they are advised to go to their doctor before getting their finances assessed.