Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá oibrithe agus teaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit seo ag streachailt leis an ngéarchéim costas maireachtála agus tá daoine ag fulaingt. Feicimid ón staidéar a rinne Barnardos go n-úsáideann duine as gach deich dtuismitheoir banc bia chun bia a chur ar an mbord dá chuid páistí. Aréir, vótáil an Rialtas in éadan moltaí chun cuidiú leis na daoine seo, is iad sin, na daoine atá thíos léi agus leo siúd a bhfuil na costais morgáiste ag dul in airde acu. Caithfidh an Rialtas gníomhú.

Before the current cost-of-living crisis, the level of child poverty in this State was utterly unacceptable. This week, the Taoiseach chose to dismiss a Barnardos survey on the worsening situation for workers and families. Yesterday, representatives of Barnardos were in Leinster House, where they set out for Members the stark reality of what is happening for families at the coalface. The Barnardos report states very clearly that one in ten parents surveyed had to use food banks during the past year, which is double the number in the previous year. It goes on to say that one in five parents did not have enough food to feed their children at some point in the past 12 months and that 29% of children have skipped meals in order that their children could have enough to eat. Those damning statistics are a shame on Government policy. Many of these parents are in work, earning their poverty, as it is now being called.

The Taoiseach should reflect for just a minute on that stark reality and on what has happened on the Government's watch. It is unforgivable that families who are already saddled with out-of-control rents, soaring energy bills, high travel costs and the spectre of rising interest rates are going hungry because they cannot afford to fill the shopping trolley at the end of the week. That is the reality of the cost-of-living crisis. We all know that the Government cannot do everything, but it can do much more. That is why we need a comprehensive support package now.

Last night, the Government voted against two crucial proposals. It voted against targeted temporary mortgage interest relief for those who are seeing their mortgage costs rise by thousands of euro. Many who had their mortgages sold off to vulture funds are now seeing interest being charged at a rate of 7.5%, with further hikes on the way next month. The Government voted against this sensible proposal and it also voted against a spring bonus for those in receipt of social welfare payments such as disability or carer's allowance and for pensioners. Such a payment would support the most vulnerable - pensioners, carers, lone parents and citizens with a disability - who have been hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. This proposal would go a long way to supporting those who are suffering at the sharp edge of the cost-of-living crisis. Any Government that is serious about tackling financial hardship and poverty would have supported and implemented this proposal. This Government chose not to do so. Both proposals are urgently needed.

We know that certain measures are set to expire at the end of this month. The rate of VAT on electricity and gas is set to rise, despite households facing sky-high energy bills. Taxes on petrol and diesel are set to rise. Fuel prices are increasing at the pumps. We must not forget that the Government has taken no action whatsoever to reduce the cost of home heating oil, despite it being the source of heating for one third of Irish households.

Households are struggling. Many of them have already been pushed to the brink, despite all that happened in last year's budget. They know that action is required. We know that action is required to protect and support them in the month ahead. The Government yesterday decided to vote against two proposals that we put on the table with regard to mortgage interest relief, and a spring bonus and other supports for the most vulnerable. I ask the Tánaiste, on behalf of those individuals who are seeing their mortgages increase, whether the Government has a proposal it is planning to bring forward to support them with their increased mortgage rates. Given that the Government has ruled out a spring bonus, what does it propose to do for those who are really suffering, visiting food banks and going without meals, as described in great detail by Barnardos?

See this speech in context