Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the cost of living. There is no doubt that Putin's war on Ukraine has pushed inflation worldwide to its highest level ever. That is the reality. It is affecting prices of imports of energy, food and other commodities. The Government is acutely aware of the enormous pressures on people arising from this round of inflation, which has been imported as a result of Putin's war. There is no getting away from that. That is the hard reality. In the first instance, we need to do what we can to reduce the impact on people. The Government has introduced €2.4 billion in cost-of-living decisions since last October across the board. For example, it has hiked up the weekly fuel allowance by approximately 55% or €404 on the previous year. To say we have done nothing makes no sense when the Government has increased a very basic allowance by more than €404.

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