Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this Private Members' motion and welcome the opportunity to speak to it. The significant increases in energy prices, and the knock-on effect on inflation in general, mean many individuals and families now face a severe cost-of-living crisis and there is no guarantee this crisis will go away any time soon. Even if, in their current talks, Ukraine and Russia come to some agreement, although there is certainly no guarantee of that, sanctions on Russia are likely to remain in some form. We are now paying a price for the inaction in regard to moving away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Offshore wind farms can give us cleaner energy with security of supply but it will take us decades to get there.

Measures to reduce energy consumption, such as retrofitting, will also take years, if not a decade. Dublin City Council, in its report last year for its housing committee, stated that at its current level of funding, it will take 12 years to carry out its retrofitting programme. This needs to be done soon. Retrofitting all homes and buildings would have a greater impact on CO2 emissions than almost anything else we could do over the next period. People on medium incomes will not be able to afford the €25,000 it will cost for a full retrofitting of their home, yet they must pay the same level of carbon tax as someone who earns €100,000 a year, who can well afford to get retrofitting done. As we exit the winter months, the cost of home heating will probably begin to recede as a major problem, but if these circumstances continue into next winter, it will be a nightmare for many individuals and families. The Government should be preparing an emergency plan for that scenario. The cost-of-living hikes will continue for a number of years. The annual rate of inflation was estimated in mid-February to be 5.9% and the latest increases in the costs of energy, electricity and gas will impact heavily on everything.

While I support the measures in the motion, I believe the measures open to the Government in regard to reducing energy prices, which are set on the international markets, are limited. Such an emergency programme must be targeted at those who are most vulnerable, in low-paid jobs or dependent on social welfare. There must be a guarantee that no individual or family will be left without electricity or adequate heating or have to make the decision to heat their home or eat. This can be achieved by a directive from the Department of Social Protection such that those struggling with heating costs or electricity bills will automatically qualify for emergency needs payments. Alongside the suspension of the 30-hour working rule, an extension of the fuel allowance to those receiving the working family payment should be introduced and other social payments should be examined. I have repeatedly raised the issue of relocating community welfare officers, CWOs, to the community to make them more accessible to those who need help. CWOs were removed from the community to make them less accessible as an austerity measure, which now needs to be reversed.

The other aspect of this crisis is the knock-on effect of energy prices in general and especially on food prices. A recent report by Barnardos on food poverty and its effects on children and families makes for sobering reading. A total of 25% were found to worry about not being able to provide food for their children, while 79% said the greatest impact was from the rising costs and the pressure on household finances. A further 51% of parents had cut back spending in areas such as gas and electricity, transport and medical bills to afford food, and 10% of parents and guardians skip meals weekly. Some 90% of parents felt close to food poverty, while 29% of people had first-hand experience of children for whom the impact of not having sufficient nutritious food was evident. That this is Ireland in the modern day is just not acceptable.

The Government's emergency plan must be targeted in this area. Basing CWOs in the community in order that they can administer a well-resourced hardship is essential, along with providing for increases in core welfare payments.

Lastly, the trade union movement also has a key role to play. It must set a target of €15 an hour as a living wage and campaign seriously to achieve it, including marches, rallies and strike action where necessary.

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