Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The Government likes to talk a lot about the cost of living being caused by factors outside its control but let us look at the factors that are in the Government's control. Social protection is set at poverty levels. That was the case before the huge inflation we are seeing but it is getting worse. The crumbs being offered to people are not good enough. When their bills are soaring by thousands of euro giving them a few hundred euro is not enough. In 2021, 19% of people unable to work due to long-standing health problems were living in consistent poverty. That was before this year's price increases. The poverty line in 2021 was €286 per week, while the standard rate of social welfare is only €208. The cost of housing was out of control before Covid or the invasion of Ukraine. Some 59% of people dependent on rent subsidies such as HAP were at risk of poverty. What is the point of paying out almost €1 billion a year to landlords if that is the end result?

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