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

As we all know, the cost of living has spiralled, people are under severe pressure to make ends meet and many people simply cannot do so as a result of the cost of living crisis. Nevertheless, before this increase in inflation and the war in Ukraine, we had the highest rents in Europe. People were struggling with housing, with paying rent and even with finding accommodation. All of this was known before the increase in inflation and the uncertainty arising from the war in Ukraine.

What we needed to see from the Government was clear, swift action in respect of housing. My colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, and our party have brought forward proposals time and again, and time and again what we see from the Government is a lack of action. I have read the Government's amendment to the motion but people who cannot make ends meet and who cannot pay for the rents in Galway city or county, which have increased by 8.8% and 19%, respectively, do not need flowery language from the Minister or the Government. What they need is action to tackle the cost of these rents. They need a ban on rent increases and the tax break we have put forward budget after budget.

Time and again, we hear the Government saying it knows there is a cost of living crisis and that people are finding it really difficult to make ends meet but that it cannot do everything. Nobody is saying the Government can do everything but we are here to work with it constructively. We are putting forward proposals we know will assist and help people who cannot pay their rent and who are looking at a notice to quit - there has been an increase in the number of notices of quit - and are wondering what they will do now because they cannot find a place to live in Galway city or county. What they are seeing from the Government is that instead of it working productively with the Opposition, it is ignoring the suggestions of the Opposition and just offering flowery language.

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