Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Tá sé soiléir go bhfuil daoine agus teaghlaigh faoi bhrú. Is í sin an fhírinne. Sustainability matters for families. Notwithstanding everything the Taoiseach lauded in his self-congratulatory soliloquy, Amy's groceries still cost €260 per week, her electricity bill was €460 and a bottle of shampoo that used to cost €4.50 is now €9. Yes, inflation has tamed but the cost-of-living crisis has not gone away. For the life of me, I cannot understand why the Taoiseach cannot accept people's experiences as bona fide. They include renters, people struggling to pay mortgages and childcare costs and people struggling to put bread on the table, pay the electricity bill and keep the show on the road. There is ample evidence that this experience is widespread. It is not simply those on social welfare payments. These are working families who are struggling and yet the Taoiseach is telling them "No". They cannot wait until October. We need cost-of-living supports and we need them with urgency.

See this speech in context