Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is very important we make sure the people who produce the food are protected and that consumers understand the implications when they see a loss leader like that coming into play. We must have a very strict adherence to whatever legislation comes in because sometimes we put in good legislation but we do not enforce it and it takes a long time for it to take effect.

The other area I wish to raise relates to the banks and mortgages. It is a bit like everything else in that the interest rates on a mortgage go up but there is not a pro rataincrease for people who have deposits in banks. That is an important aspect of the debate. We cannot allow the banks to go back to their old habits, which they probably are doing, of grabbing as much as they can and giving away as little as possible to increase the gap in their profits. As a State, we have a fair ownership in AIB, but we also have a fair record of keeping other banks in survival mode. The people of this country did it, so it is important that where people have money on deposit, they get a fair rate of interest for their deposit as well.

There is no excuse for this anymore. That is an important aspect to all this.

We talk about price gouging and other things happening, but across every sector in Ireland we have seen prices increasing, including in construction. Those paying for it are the people trying to build or buy a house or put in a bathroom for a disabled person, for example. The prices have gone up. Funnily enough, they are not coming down now. Even though I see the prices of petrol and diesel coming down, I do not see transport costs or other costs coming down in the same way. Therefore, we need to monitor this very closely. We should be in a position in which we can decide how people are doing their business and ensure they are doing so with effect.

We have a great country and great people but there are many suffering silently and living from week to week. They are paying their mortgages and working away, yet they are slaves to their mortgages and work. Their lives are what I would call tough and they are trying to raise families. We all recognise this. By having more control over the bigger organisations, such as the banks and retail outlets, everyone would get a fair share and nobody would take an opportunity that would put others in misery.

I am confident the Government will introduce measures that will ensure nobody loses out. The ground is very uneven at the moment and we do not know where we are going, meaning people can be left behind. In this regard, let me return to the subject of the people I spoke about first, people with disabilities. In 2023, through budget 2024, we have an opportunity to put something in place for them, and to put it into effect from 2023.

See this speech in context