Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We as a team have been raising the issue of the cost of living for a year, I think. The Taoiseach acknowledges and we all know the pressure that people are under; therefore, it is incumbent on us to act and to prepare to act. On several occasions this afternoon, the Taoiseach has referenced the price of food. From his commentary, I am reading that he assumes sharp increases in food prices. He mentioned Ukraine as the breadbasket of the world, so the price of bread, for example, will rise. What plans, preparations and mitigations has the Government made for the likely spike in food prices? What preparations have been made at a European level to ensure we have full and necessary flexibility to protect our people?

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