Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

Some inflation is absolutely beyond our control. Other high prices are as result of price gouging or Government failures. Our pillar banks had combined profits of €5 billion last year, much of that came from the fact homeowners and savers were short-changed. We have double digit rent increases. New rents outside of Dublin are rising by 9% with 12 counties experiencing double digit rent inflation increases. That is because the Government will not enact our legislation to ban rent increases. We have crippling childcare costs despite the Government's commitment to reduce them. We still do not have a plan to do that. The Minister's party promised a plan within 100 days and that is another promise that has been broken. There are eye watering insurance costs and the Government is not doing anything to ensure that savings resulting from reforms are passed on. We have the highest electricity costs in Europe. This is also at a time when we will record significant surpluses in the region of €8 billion to €9 billion each year and the Government is leaving people high and dry because they need support at this time and a cost-of-living package is absolutely necessary.

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