Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Wow. It is 5.8%. The Taoiseach may have said it this morning, but it is breaking in the past hour. There are big cost-of-living increases on the way that are not included in those figures. The Russian invasion of Ukraine moves the cost-of-living crisis to another level. The price of bread, groceries, heating and fuel will rise. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has already warned of a massive spike in heating costs. The Taoiseach is on the record as saying that there will be no new cost-of-living compensation measures for households this side of the budget in October. I put it to him that this is no longer a tenable position. I am for price controls on gas and electricity prices. I am also for an increase in the national minimum wage to €15 and for inflation-busting wage increases across the board. What new measures is the Taoiseach prepared to consider? What is his position, for example, on the idea that a €200 credit be introduced to offset rising gas bills?

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