Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The rising cost of energy and the overall costs of living are on the minds of everybody. When meeting residents and community groups, whether it is in Donnybrook, the inner city or Rathmines, we see that everybody is feeling the pressure as costs continue to rise. In the 12 months to December, inflation reached its highest level in 20 years. These high levels of inflation impact heavily on the daily lives of people in the State. We know who feels these sharp increases in inflation most. It is the working families who are hit hardest. These households must spend a higher proportion of their income on food and fuel. The cost of electricity has increased by 22%, the cost of gas is up 28% and home heating oil costs have risen by a staggering 53%. More families will be faced with the painful decision of having to choose between heating the house and feeding themselves.

Measures must be taken by the Government to rein in inflation increases. While some factors may be outside of the Government's control, others certainly are not. The Government needs to step in to protect families from poverty. Provisions must be put in place to support low and middle income families. If the Government stands by, inflation and energy price spikes will push working families into poverty. We need to see meaningful actions, including the expansion of the fuel allowance scheme and the extension of the fuel allowance season by a further two weeks. The eligibility threshold for the allowance also needs to be increased by 10% to include approximately 30,000 additional homes. These are not radical measures but they will make a positive impact on many who are struggling.

Already, several EU member states such as France, Italy and Spain have taken decisive action to reduce the burden of these price hikes on ordinary people. In Spain, consumers will see their average monthly bill drop by 22%. The market has failed to provide lower and more competitive prices for consumers. The Government must intervene in a meaningful way to ease the burden on the public. We cannot allow its market-led approach to continue. The Government needs to seek a special derogation to remove VAT on household energy bills. Such a move would reduce household bills by 12%. This would greatly ease the burden on so many people and give workers and their families a much-needed break.

In housing, the market-led approach backed by the policies of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has also failed. This approach and these policies have caused the housing crisis to worsen by the month. The increases in the cost of living are a direct result of those two parties' policies. For many, the idea of owning a home seems impossible. This does devastating damage to communities, families and couples wanting to start a family. The rising cost of renting swallows a large chunk of most people's salaries and many feel suffocated by all of these rising costs. We need a ban on rent increases and rents need to be brought under control. Measures such as a refundable tax credit, equivalent to one month's rent and capped at €1,500, would be a good start. It would give renters a much-needed break. We need to see this Government standing up for ordinary working families, not standing idly by.

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