Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

-----with real vision, ideas, plans and commitment or the soundbites we hear from Government benches.

Sinn Féin knows that the cost of raising a family does not stop when your child reaches the age of 18. We would stand up for students and parents by abolishing third level fees, starting with a reduction of €1,500 next year. Again, the Government refuses to go there. It talks about a temporary reduction. What is required is the scrapping of third level fees, beginning immediately. Fees for apprenticeships should also be scrapped. I say to every family and to everyone starting a family that Sinn Féin's commitment is clear; we will make raising a family affordable.

Families and workers are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. As we all know, the cost-of-living crisis is not over. Energy credits of €250 do not cut it. They simply do not go far enough. We proposed an energy credit of €450. As the Government knows, the €250 is mostly going to be eaten up by the increased charges that are coming. Households continue to struggle with the weight of high energy bills. Electricity prices in July of this year were 47% higher than they were three years ago. Irish electricity remains the most expensive in Europe. What is the Government's record? Some 230,000 households are in arrears with their electricity bills. That is 20,000 more than last year. Under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, things are getting worse when it comes to energy. People are struggling-----

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