Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Barnardos is telling us that in January 2022, one household in 25 was forced to go to a food bank, but by November that figure had risen to one in ten. The situation seems set to worsen. Kantar told us yesterday that the average household will spend nearly an extra €1,200 on groceries in 2023. Why then is the Government considering the scrapping of at least some of the cost of living supports for householders at the end of this month? The crisis remains; the supports should remain too. The Government and the State have a surplus of €5 billion. There should not be a single one of these supports cut in that situation. Any and all of these cuts should be opposed and resisted. Where does the Taoiseach stand on this issue?

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