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

We know that the cost of living is rising. We know the severe pressure that people are under to heat their homes as well as to put fuel in their cars in order to get to work and do the bare minimum that most people need to do. However, we are facing a new part of the cost of living crisis, that being, food poverty. People are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table. More than 60% of people say that they are now making choices in terms of food. This is a crisis point. No spin can be put on this. It is a crisis when people cannot pay for food to put on their tables or when they have to make a choice about whether they will put food on their tables, fill their cars, heat their homes or meet life’s basic necessities.

One would imagine that the Government would say that it needed to take action quickly and that it would do everything it could to help the most vulnerable in society. Every Deputy has been approached by constituents who are suffering greatly because of the major increase in the cost of living. We in Sinn Féin ran a survey on the cost of living crisis. Of those who had come to us saying that they were struggling with food, one pensioner replied that it was not possible to live on what was left after paying the electricity bill by card at An Post. The pensioner could not afford groceries, was eating the bare minimum and said that life was very hard. This is the reality for people. A woman in her 40s said that there was a major difference – approximately €30 of an increase – in her weekly shopping compared with a year ago. People do not have €30 at their disposal. This is something that makes a difference in the kind of food, and how much of it, they can put on their tables.

In our motion, Sinn Féin is making constructive proposals to help people who are struggling and those who are the most vulnerable. We have consistently made constructive and credible proposals on how to tackle the cost of living crisis. We in this Chamber must be united on the crisis because that is what people need us to do. A cost of living cash payment of €200 for every adult with an income of less than €30,000 must be introduced, as must a payment of €100 for every adult with an income of between €30,000 and €60,000. We have also made a range of other proposals.

This issue cannot be allowed to fall on deaf ears anymore. Immediate action is necessary to tackle the cost of living crisis so that people can eat when they need to.

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