Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Labour Party, in particular Deputy Nash, for facilitating this important discussion. We are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. Inflation has leaped to a 21-year high of 5.5%. Families and especially those on fixed incomes are feeling the effects every day. Energy prices are soaring and young families are burdened with rents and incredibly expensive childcare costs. Pensioners and disabled people are unable to heat their homes. Households are depending on the fantastic work of food charities to get by. Women and children are trapped in situations of domestic violence due to the cost of housing. Our cost of housing is the highest in Europe. The cost of goods and services in Ireland is the second highest in Europe. Our fuel costs are the fourth highest in Europe. Ordinary people and families are struggling. Where is the Government commitment to do better?

Our spiralling cost of living starts early in life. Childcare costs are among the highest in Europe. Many families are paying more on childcare than on mortgage repayments. Families in Denmark and Germany are paying a fraction of that cost. Ireland spends 0.3% of GDP on early years care and education, which is well below the UNICEF-recommended benchmark of 1%. Education is anything but free. Annually, it costs over €1,300 to put a child through primary education, over €2,000 for secondary, and more than €12,000 for college, according to research by Zurich. That is over €70,000 across a young person's education and those costs keep rising.

At the other end of life, the situation is equally challenging. Before the budget, the Government knew that the purchasing power of the pension had fallen by €10.24 since 2019 and despite rising prices, a disgracefully low €5 increase has already been eaten up. Fuel poverty is a major issue for older people. We all know about pensioners who are going to bed early in the evening to stay warm and families having to choose between food and energy bills. The Government's €100 credit for energy bills is a limited intervention that will provide only minor, temporary relief to those in need.

The cost of living is even higher for disabled people. The Government's own recent report, The Cost of Disability in Ireland, revealed that people with disabilities face extra costs of up to €12,300 annually on transport, fuel, equipment, aids, medical expenses and much more. It is no wonder we have one of the highest rates of poverty and social exclusion in the EU for disabled people. Families of children with disabilities are consistently failed by the State in its provision of proper education and therapeutic measures. Those with the means to pay for it privately do so, and those who cannot afford it are left on waiting lists. The ombudsman's report criticising personal transport supports described the available schemes as "inadequate, unfair and inequitable". This failure increases social isolation while also reducing employment opportunities. There is a need for targeted social and health interventions to enable disabled people to live independent lives.

Fuel prices are rising. That hits all households. We see more families having to turn to food charities. Somehow, while food prices are rising, primary producers are not making more. Farmers, inshore fishers and small producers are barely getting by. There is no such thing as cheap food. We need to have a serious conversation about food policy in this country. We need a food system that provides affordable and healthy food while ensuring that producers can make a living. A more equitable and sustainable approach can benefit all producers and consumers if we have the political will.

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