Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)

CSO figures published today show Ireland's national income rose by 4.8% last year and GDP rose by 7.4%. According to these fiscal indicators, Ireland is doing well, but in reality there are two Irelands. There are those who are doing okay, a minority, and there is the majority, who at some level are struggling in one way or another to cover the basic costs of living. In fact, even the concept of the cost of living is deeply disturbing. The basic costs to survive are now unaffordable for most people in this country. One third of parents have gone into arrears on energy bills and 28% state they do not have enough food to feed their children. A total of 12% use a food bank. Last week, I visited a food bank in Finglas run by Feed our Homeless. The group stated that the biggest growth in those who need its food is among working families. Working families are relying on food banks to survive to get through the week.

I went outside SuperValu in Finglas this week and spoke to people about the cost of their grocery shop and the Social Democrats tabling the motion. One man told me he saw the price of a pack of six rashers increase by 75 cent in one jump. That is a 37.5% increase. The number of rashers per packet has also been reduced to five, so it is actually a 66% increase on a per rasher basis. This is shrinkflation, which is covering up the gougeflation done by supermarkets. Another woman advised me that she has seen the price of her shop increase weekly and that she is nervous going to the till, wondering whether she will be able to cover it. Another woman told me how she now splits her shop now across multiple supermarkets to find the cheapest possible product. When I spoke to her, she was at her third supermarket of the day, spending hours going from shop to shop to feed her family. This is unsustainable. The price gouging should not be tolerated when people are suffering and struggling to get by.

I do my shop each week for three young kids and I see the large increase in the cost of trying to feed a family in this country. This is even more expensive for parents of children with disabilities, carers, lone parents and those in homelessness. It reveals the Government's lack of priority for working people and for most people. It is not willing to stand up to the supermarkets. It gives nice words and states it is taking action but we need to see real action for the people struggling, and for middle Ireland and working-class people, who are being absolutely gouged by these supermarkets and the big retail companies.

I encourage the Minister of State to support our motion and take some real action on this.

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