Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The cost of living continues to bite hard on working people. Ordinary households are finding it very difficult to keep up with the never-ending barrage of rip-off bills, yet the Government seems oblivious to the pressure people are under. It seems content to sit on its hands and do nothing while workers and families barely get by. On the watch of this Government, households are hit by soaring costs across the board. The price of the weekly shop is through the roof. In the past year, the price of a pound of butter has increased by €1, the price of two litres of milk is up by 27 cent, the price of cheddar cheese is up by 79 cent and since 2022, the price of a bag of potatoes has doubled. The price of toothpaste and other basic toiletries is sky-high. Rent goes up and up. In the past year, rents went up by at least €100 per month. On average, people fork out €2,000 per month. That is the nightmare the Government has created for renters. Motor insurance has gone up by a whopping 9% in just 12 months. That is more than double the EU average. We have the highest electricity prices anywhere in Europe - €350 per year dearer than other countries.

People are working very hard. They are working all hours to make a better life for themselves and their families but they are being hit from all sides. They are contacting us at their wits' end. Here are some of the things they have told us. Amy said that the price gouging is unreal. She told us that the weekly shop for her family of five - two adults and three children - is now €260 and their most recent electricity bill was €460. David told us that his car insurance just shot up by €200. He said there was no crash, no claim and no change and that it was just a random slap in the face because the company felt like it. Fiona said "nine bloody euro for a bottle of shampoo that used to cost €4.50. These price hikes are an absolute joke". Susan said "it's getting impossible to keep the head above water. Everything except our income is going up and up and it's killing us". This is just a snapshot of the rip-off people are experiencing day in and day out.

By contrast, here is what the Taoiseach had to say in Brussels on Thursday. He said that he, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform had all ruled out a specific cost-of-living package in advance of the budget. This position was repeated by one of his Fianna Fáil colleagues on the radio yesterday. Hardworking people are being fleeced left, right and centre. Many have very little left at the end of the week, are forced to decide which bill to pay and which one to leave and are forced to cut back on the basics and the Government proclaims that it will not act and will not help. It is not lost on anyone that at the same time the Taoiseach rules out help for ordinary people, he had no problem delivering big pay hikes for his raft of junior and super junior Ministers.

Tá lucht oibre na tíre lomtha ag praghsanna atá ag dul in airde agus billí atá ag imeacht as smacht. Níl sé sásúil go bhfuil an Rialtas ag suí siar ag déanamh faic. The Taoiseach cannot leave working people and families high and dry. He must act. He should bring forward cost-of-living supports to ease this enormous pressure on households.

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