Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

Looking at strengthening the powers of the CCPC is no good. You have to actually act when you are in government. The Government has been looking at strengthening its powers for years but it has not done it. The Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, asking it to do a review like it did in 2023, which did not achieve anything as the Government had not given it extra powers, will not produce anything different this time. Families all over the country are struggling to keep their heads above water. Every week it is a challenge. I am not just talking about the financial challenge, which is enormous, but the toll it is taking on people's well-being, who are having to continually count every penny to just pay for the basics. They are scrimping and saving to afford groceries. This constant pressure is exhausting and families are finding, after all the effort, they are still coming up short. Grocery prices are a runaway train and they simply cannot afford them.

The evidence this is an enormous problem is mounting. St. Vincent de Paul has said that almost 50% of the calls it receives are about a single issue, namely groceries. According to today's Barnardos' report, four in ten parents are skipping meals or eating less to feed their children. One parent told Barnardos this constant struggle has led to them feeling inadequate because they cannot provide for their family. Almost one fifth of children are missing out on school trips and activities as their families cannot afford them. In some instances, children cannot go to their friends' birthday parties because there is no money for a present.

A few months ago, the Taoiseach told the Dáil he will always prioritise the child who has been left behind.

What about these children?

The cost of groceries has soared by €3,000 for families in recent years. Where does the Taoiseach think they are finding this money? They just do not have it, and that is why an increasing number are borrowing just to pay for basics. One in three households is now taking on debt or going into arrears to meet day-to-day costs, adding huge stress to what they are already under.

When the Government talks about this problem, it seems to think it is in the past. It talks about prices having increased rapidly after Russia invaded Ukraine but does not acknowledge that those prices never came down. Grocery costs are skyrocketing again, increasing at three times the rate of inflation. Everyone doing the weekly shop can see this, so why can the Government not see it?

The Government could be doing a number of things. For a start, we need transparency about supermarket profits. We suspect Irish consumers are being gouged, but without transparency, it is impossible to prove. The regulators for food and consumer protection must be given more teeth to tackle the issue. The Social Democrats will introduce tomorrow in the Dáil a motion that outlines a number of solutions. Will the Government support our motion? Will it compel supermarkets to publish their profits? Will it finally take some action to control grocery prices?

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