Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If these price increases tell us absolutely anything about the Government, it is that it is completely and utterly tone deaf to the reality for people across this State. People are already struggling. The cost-of-living crisis is still here. People are facing huge challenges every day because of it. What is the Government's response to that? It increases the price of petrol and diesel, not once, not twice, but three times this year. How out of touch can the Government be? One person got in touch with me about the impact that this is having on them. They wrote:

I travel 100 km each way everyday for work. I can't get a job closer to home because the work and pay is just not available. My wages are the only income coming into the house due to an illness.

Every increase hits hard and makes us pay more and live less. It is getting to point of working 7am to 5pm 5 days a week plus 3 hours travelling per day. Just to keep the roof over our head and we are lucky to have that roof.

Working to live

Work life balance non-existing

Just keep getting hammered

That is the reality for that family but there are so many others that are in just that same position at this time. It would be one thing if the Government was actually providing alternatives for people so that they did not have to get into their cars and travel three hours every day. However, it is not. I will provide an example of that. We had the old 20X20 bus to Dublin Airport, which was axed a number of years ago by Bus Éireann. I raised it in this Chamber at the time and I said this would have a serious impact on people who would need to then commute in their cars instead. We were told then it was okay because there was the Aircoach. Of course, now the Aircoach service is being axed, which again means for students, for example, travelling from the likes of Ballinasloe to Maynooth, or somebody who is working in a different place cannot access that service and have to get into their cars. What is the Government doing at the same time? It is increasing the cost for them commuting. It just does not make sense. To be honest, it shows the Government does not have a clue what is going on in people's lives. Léiríonn sé sin ach go háirithe dóibh siúd atá ina gcónaí faoin tuath. Tá orthu dul sa charr agus taisteal ar bhóithre atá lochtach agus nach bhfuil infheistíocht cuí déanta iontu le fada an lá mar gheall ar an Rialtas seo agus an Rialtas roimhe sin. Caithfidh na daoine seo dul isteach sa charr agus taisteal agus beidh ardú ar an gcostas don taisteal sin mar gheall nach bhfuil na seirbhísí bus ar fáil nó nach bhfuil traenacha. Mar shampla, is ar éigin atá traenacha ar bith in iarthar na tíre. Chomh maith leis sin tá an Rialtas de shíor ag ardú an phraghais. Tá sé dochreidte.

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