Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The cost of living in the State has spiralled out of control. Despite being on a wage, too many workers and families are struggling to get by, bill by bill, week to week. With the nearly continuous news of further price rises, it is all but impossible for the average worker to have any disposable income. Those who are renting face the ominous threat of eviction. If they are to seek new rented accommodation in Limerick, the cost of renting will be beyond the reach of most workers. For a family renting a three-bedroom house in Limerick, the average cost is €1,699. For a single person renting a one-bedroom apartment, it stands at €1,177 per month. I am sure the Minister of State will agree those are colossal prices to pay for rented accommodation. Those who are fortunate enough to own their own home have seen their mortgage interest rates rise, in some cases ten times this year, and now they face these additional fuel costs.

There are some fantastic large-scale employers in Limerick. I am thinking of the likes of Three Ireland, Johnson and Johnson, Edwards Lifesciences and Regeneron among many others. In the main, these companies are based in industrial estates located near the suburbs of the city. Although there are bus services, they are infrequent and unreliable. The morning and evening traffic in the likes of Castletroy and Raheen is testament to the growing number of commuters travelling to these locations for work. Commuters, many of whom are renters paying more than €1,100 per month on rent, cannot afford new costs. These workers and families have seen the price of petrol and diesel increase in recent months and are told this is a necessary cost and due to rise further. Between March and August, the costs of petrol and diesel rose by 7.6% and 9.9%, respectively. There were increases of 7 cent and 5 cent on the cost of petrol and diesel at the start of this month, with a further increase of 2 cent on petrol and 2.5 cent on diesel scheduled for 11 October and yet another increase, of 8 cent on petrol and 6 cent on diesel, scheduled for 31 October. This has placed an unnecessary further burden on workers and families. It has placed an unnecessary burden on those who have no option but to use a car to travel to work, school or college.

The Government must realise that pursuing these increases at this time of an increasing cost of living chips away further at the income available to families. It chips away at their disposable income. The fuel price increases on their own will add hundreds of euro to the annual fuel costs of workers and families, yet the Government perseveres with the increases regardless.

People will be faced with the prospect of paying nearly €2 per litre when they fill up their vehicles. I urge the Minister of State to reconsider and to stop the increases scheduled for 11 October and 31 October. I urge him to stand up for the average working family, as we are trying to do tonight.

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