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

I have to say the Government is doing a great job for those it represents. The big five energy companies announced increased profits of €280 million in the past year. The big five food companies saw increased profits of €174 million in the past year. Irish Residential Properties REIT, the largest landlord in this country, saw profits increase to €67.5 million, representing a 16% increase. All the other corporate landlords are the same, as are the electricity companies. Collectively, the billionaires in this country increased their wealth by €15.5 billion since 2020.

The Government represents those who are profiting from the cost-of-living and housing crises. Those people are doing extremely well. The crisis for ordinary people is an opportunity to profit for those the Government represents. Very clearly, the Government does not represent the interest of renters, who face 10% rent increases year on year. The Government does not represent the one in three people who are now living in energy poverty. It does not represent low- and middle-income workers who are seeing their income effectively eroded day after day, with prices out of control. It is doing absolutely nothing to tackle it.

I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, on the radio this morning talking about this motion. He said everyone he speaks to is terrified of an election.

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