Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were spiralling inflation and cost-of-living increases. When I was briefed by the Department of Finance, it said the war in Ukraine and the impact on energy prices was going to add another 4% on top of that in terms of further inflation. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that and update the House on it. In that regard, when public servants, of whom the Government is the employer, are limited to 1% increases, that means the people the Government employs are going to be suffering significant wage cuts in the coming period. In that context, does the Taoiseach think we need to revise that and give pay increases to public and civil servants, and indeed all workers, but particularly the ones this Government employs, to compensate for the spiralling cost of living?

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