Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister referenced the rising costs and the way that they are affecting the standard of living, genuinely making it sound like people might have to trim a few luxuries off of their shopping bill but, in truth, people are making hard and horrible choices already.

I promised a constituent of mine that I would raise a message that she sent to me with the Minister. A mother on the disability allowance said that if anything breaks in her house, it stays broken. She said not to mention help from the community welfare officer, CWO. She continues:

The only bill I have that is any way flexible is the food bill and I have already cut back on that. I can't cut anymore.

She cannot wait until October. The charge levelled at the Minister’s Government that it is out of touch and does not get it. In my own constituency, the Government representatives are largely invisible. The reason for that is they hide from their constituents because they are ashamed. They know that the Government could intervene but it has set his face against it, saying “No”.

I do not know if the Minister has ever had the experience or understands what it is like to have to say, "No" to a child because he cannot afford something; it is horrible. I was out canvassing the other night and I met a family who had put a deposit down on a small holiday a couple of years ago. With Covid and everything else, they could not take the holiday. They had some savings, but the cost of living has forced them to eat into their savings. The mother said to me that they had a holiday organised but they cannot afford to pay the balance. She pulled the door in behind her, she looked me in the eye and she said, "Jesus, we have not even told the kids yet." I do not know if the Minister knows what it is like to never have anything to look forward to. That is what people are experiencing now. Their savings are gone, if they had any. They are not getting wage increases to keep pace with inflation.

In March 2021, the Tánaiste pledged a living wage of €12.30 per hour. Two weeks ago, he pledged a living wage of €12.17 per hour and no explanation as to where the other 13 cent had gone. Certainly, the Minister and I both know that you cannot pay for your shopping with pledges. People need action now; they are desperate now. That is why we are calling for all Deputies, in particular those backbenchers who are very fond of taking to the airwaves to say that the Government should do more. They have an opportunity tomorrow night to put their money where their mouth is and vote for the Sinn Féin motion.

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