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

We are all acutely aware of the issues arising from the increases in the cost of living and the impact these have had in recent months. We have had debate after debate on this issue in the Chamber in recent weeks. We need to see strong action to help those who are struggling most. We have all seen the impact of the increases in the costs of electricity and fuel in our electricity bills. I am sure many of us got our electricity bill through the door and were surprised at the significant rise in the bills. We also see it at the petrol pumps.

The impact on lower income households has been catastrophic. It is a cause of concern and distress and there are things they must do without. These increases in prices mean they simply do not have additional spare cash lying around to help them to pay for this. All Members are seeing this in our clinics and when knocking on doors. I hold a weekly clinic and I knock on doors every week. The main issue that keeps coming up is that people are just not able to pay for things. One man told me this week that he had to sleep in the kitchen to keep warm. He cannot use the shower in the winter months because the bathroom is the coldest room in his house so he must use an alternative place for showering. That is a cold, hard fact. Many of us would find it unimaginable to have to go through that ourselves.

This problem is not completely new. In November 2021, my colleague, Deputy Claire Kerrane, conducted a survey to which 14,000 people responded. Any Members who have conducted surveys will know that getting 14,000 respondents shows how live an issue this is. Of those who responded, 93% said they had seen a massive increase in energy prices. Of the 6,000 comments in the survey there are two statements I particularly want to read to the Minister of State. One person said:

As a pensioner, I can’t live on what’s left [each week]. I pay my electricity by card at An Post. I can’t afford groceries and eat the bare minimum. Life is very hard.

Another said:

Currently battling with high anxiety because I don’t know if I will be able to pay rent/electricity every month or pay for diesel. I’m a single mother of a 10 yr old boy ... and on his Santa list he asked Santa to help his Mam be OK. Even my 10 yr old son can see I’m not OK any more.

This is the reality. We need strong and urgent action from the Government. We need to see a ban on rent increases and one month's rent going back into the renters' pockets. We need to see the discretionary fund increased and more people being able to apply for the fuel allowance.

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