Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I mark the sad passing yesterday of Mr. Liam Cahill, the journalist, adviser, author and historian.

Yesterday, when visiting Portlaoise, I had the pleasure of meeting with members of the local Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, team in their office. I heard from them how their calls have reached record levels this year and how so many households and individuals are contacting them with serious money issues and huge pressures in paying for childcare, rent and mortgages. These are working people who were previously on adequate incomes and they now say the cash simply is no longer there to meet their basic needs. That is why the Labour Party has called for immediate measures to be adopted by the Government. That is why the kite flying in recent days has not been helpful. We need to see targeted measures now to support those on the lowest pay and the lowest incomes, with an immediate social welfare bonus this summer to help people struggling with the fear and anticipation of back-to-school costs and an immediate rise of €1 per hour in the minimum wage.

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