Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that the Government will never be in a position to compensate people for the cost-of-living increases. In fact, Ireland and the rest of the world are facing a cost-of-living crisis. It is driven by inflation, which is largely caused by factors beyond our control. Sinn Féin is criticising and asking what Fine Gael has done. It is demanding social welfare increases. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, made over €500 million available in the last budget for social welfare increases.There was a €5 increase in the social welfare working-age payments and pensions. Sinn Féin is demanding the price of home heating oil be reduced. The Minister brought in increases of 55% in the fuel allowance up to an average of €1,139 for the 2021-2022 fuel season. Sinn Féin is demanding the minimum wage be increased. The minimum wage has been increased, most recently by 30 cent, and this has taken it up to €10.50. Only today the Tánaiste spoke about bringing it up to the living wage of over €12. As Senator Boylan just said, Sinn Féin is looking for a discretionary fund of €15 million to help households with utility bills. She should fact-check and look up that there is a scheme in place brought in by the Minister's Department of €45.75 million, which is available for exceptional and urgent needs. Households can go to their community welfare officer and look for help with their bills. That fund is there. The Senator must not be advising her constituents of it and maybe we will let them know about that today. Furthermore, by decreasing taxes you increase people's take-home pay for those in the squeezed middle, who are those paying for most of the benefits Sinn Féin is looking to provide.

I support this motion. I support Senator Doherty's proposals on petrol and diesel. That change needs to be brought in now; we cannot wait until October. Fine Gael, as a party in government, has looked after the people through Covid and will look after the people through this period of high costs of living.