Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Grocery prices have soared by 17% over the past year, which is the highest rise ever recorded. This means the average grocery bill could rise by €1,200 a year, just to put food on the table, if the current trend continues. We know this rise in the cost of living shows no sign of slowing down. What we were told was a temporary rise in inflation, a reaction to the war in Ukraine, has persisted and running a household is becoming increasingly unaffordable. Prices will not come down on their own. We saw this with petrol and diesel where a slight decrease from the highest prices became the new normal. It is the same with utility bills and grocery bills. Prices will not come down unless action is taken in this House to protect workers and their families.

The Government likes to say "No", whether it is on mortgage interest relief supports or with the rising cost of putting food on the table for a family. Food banks are popping up all over the place and this Government will not even consider taking action until the October budget. That is a long way away for a lot of people when they see large bills coming through the door and they are wondering how to pay for basics like food.

We need to increase weekly social welfare and pension rates to stem the flow of families, and especially pensioners, into food poverty. We need to secure the food supply chain in Ireland. We grow enough food to feed this island ten times over. Why is that not reflected in the cost of food? It is because we have allowed input costs to go entirely out of control. Diesel costs have doubled and fertiliser costs have tripled. All of this throws uncertainty over the agriculture sector and drives up the prices for the consumer. This is about more than growing lettuce in a window box. This is about protecting the farmer and the consumer and creating a system that is fair and less reliant on imports, to the benefit of both.

The Government is a past master at wait and see, or it waits for Europe to lead. The consumer price index rose for the 18th month in a row in March. More and more vulnerable families cannot wait. We need to do more.

See this speech in context