Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague Deputy Louise O’Reilly for bringing this timely motion before the Dáil. I want to address the issue of unsustainably high grocery and food bills that have been troubling people for far too long. Families and workers across the State are struggling to make ends meet as they grapple with the ever increasing cost of living. The Government's failure to address this issue has left many feeling abandoned and forgotten. The rising cost of food and groceries is not simply a result of inflation or the war in Ukraine. Corporate super-profiteering has contributed twice as much to price rises as wage increases. This phenomenon of greedflation is nothing short of economic exploitation. As pointed out, certain corporations have taken advantage of their market power to gouge prices and pad their profits at the expense of ordinary people. The Government's refusal to address this issue is a clear sign of its detachment from the struggles of working families. The Government's inaction speaks volumes about its priorities. The impact of these rising food costs cannot be understated. Families are forced to make impossible choices between buying food and paying for other essentials such as housing, energy bills, and education. We cannot continue to allow this to happen. It is time for the Government to take meaningful action to address the issue of greedflation and rising grocery bills.

I urge the Government to take action now and support our motion. I ask the Government to instruct the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate possible price gouging. The Government must do all in its power to ensure savings made by supermarkets and large food retailers with falling input costs are passed on to consumers. We need immediate action to address this issue and to ensure the needs of ordinary workers and families are prioritised. It is time for change.

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