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carbon efficiency programme, SCEP, which is helping farmers to improve carbon efficiency in livestock production. My Department participated alongside other Departments in the food poverty working group and developed the 2024 action plan on food poverty, a cross-sectoral response to that issue. Ireland’s food security … underpinned by strong national and EU frameworks, continuous policy integration under Food Vision 2030 and targeted actions to strengthen local production, reduce food poverty and build a sustainable and resilient food system

Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to developing an integrated national food security strategy that strengthens local production, addresses food poverty and ensures that our food system is both environmentally and socially sustainable (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter

Government support. They call for exactly what is missing, which is a joined-up national food security strategy that supports local production, tackles food poverty and builds resilience within the system. We cannot keep relying on imported food or cheap prices that come at a high social

public services and infrastructure that belies our status as a rich country; growing wealth at the top alongside shameful levels of child poverty; high food prices that just keep climbing; the second highest energy costs in the European Union; a housing supply and affordability crisis; rising rents

Finance Bill supposed to help? The developers and fast-food chains are clearly delighted, but what about people who are actually struggling to get by? The withdrawal of cost-of-living measures is pushing more people into poverty. There should have been targeted cost-of-living measures … disabled people struggling to keep the lights on. The Government could have lifted 40,000 children out of poverty. Instead, it lifted profits for developers and fast-food chains. That was its choice. That is what the Finance Bill represents: greed over decency. An excellent report by Oisín

west, the main streets are festooned with empty properties. Empty properties in the middle of a housing crisis is akin to exporting food in the middle of the Famine. It is absolutely wrong. The main streets of towns right across the west, such as Claremorris, are literally falling … housing crisis. It is absolutely wrong. I want to talk about older people and those living in poverty. A €10 pension increase for older people when inflation has pushed food prices well beyond that is wrong. We need to make sure pensions are indexed to the average wage

antiquated infrastructure and rising poverty. That is the Government’s legacy and this budget doubles down on this failure. Anyone examining this budget would think the cost-of-living crisis was being felt most acutely by developers and the owners of fast food chains. They are the ones … once used for extras for the children, now goes straight into the weekly food shop." This budget utterly fails to address the astonishing fact that nearly 200,000 children are living in poverty. It is important that we never forget the stress and hardship that poverty can cause

cost-of-living crisis has been most acutely felt by developers and fast food chains. Millions of euro are going to the likes of McDonald's instead of lifting thousands of children out of poverty. There is €568 million in tax cuts for developers, when less than half

living supports in the budget. There is no second tier of child benefit to tackle child poverty or no maximum of €200 per month for child care costs. Very profitable fast-food giants are benefiting at the expense of poor children, carers, persons with disabilities and PAYE workers

seasoning of the Galway tent. In other words, it stinks. There are giveaways for fast-food chains and developers but nothing for workers or families and derisory measures for children in poverty, those in housing insecurity or homelessness, and disabled people. It is lots of spin

said, this could have been the game-changer for children and child poverty. Instead, the Government has chosen to give over €600 million in a giveaway - a whopper of a giveaway - for big fast-food chains and big business in the hospitality sector. That is a choice … sort of crazy VAT cut. We did not stand for narrowing the tax base. We stand for decent public services and tackling child poverty and homelessness

lifting more than 40,000 children out of poverty, the Government decided to spend the money elsewhere. It gave a blanket VAT cut to the hospitality sector that will disproportionately be eaten up by hugely profitable fast food chains. McDonald's made a profit of €42 million last … weekly cost-of-disability payment, bring forward a second tier of child benefit that would help lift thousands of children out of poverty, target a €400 energy credit at 800,000 families who need it, cut childcare fees by €200 and roll out a public model of childcare

have heard that housing is a priority, disability is a priority, child poverty is a priority and climate is a priority. They are all priorities until they are not. For this Government today, we have seen that, in fact, big business and protecting its profits are the Government … giveaway budget. It has chosen to give to fast-food outlets and property developers and chosen to let the ordinary man, woman and child continue to struggle. Faced with a choice of a radical measure to tackle child poverty or dramatically boost the profits of large corporations

child. This is why we should be eliminating consistent child poverty by 2030, not reducing it to a mere 3%. That should be the priority, not lining the pockets of developers and fast-food chain owners. Instead, VAT for developers has been slashed at a cost

poverty line. Those facts tell us the cost-of-living crisis is not over. When people look to the Government, they look for a hand up. They are not looking for a handout. They want to be able to heat their homes and buy food for their families … clean for all the lads coming to get all the benefits of this budget. There are no benefits for people living in poverty. The Minister for Social Protection made an announcement last month that there will be a target set for the reduction of child poverty. That

budgets the Government has introduced in this House, year after year. We called on the Government to deliver effective measures to tackle child poverty. That means targeted and universal measures. The cost-of-living crisis has brought so many pressures on so many households. Many who never thought … even keep up with food inflation. We called on the Government to increase them by €15 to reflect the reality of rising costs. What the Government should have announced was a conscious decision to deal with the issue of child poverty. However, the reality is - and we will

work due to disability lives in consistent poverty. Our social protection system has to intervene. There was great hope of significant intervention in this budget. Supports like the disability allowance and disability support grant are essentials, covering costs in heating, food, medication and rent, funding

normal. Storms Éowyn and Darragh, like others before, brought flooding, power outages and damage to infrastructure. These changes threaten our businesses, homes, our food production system and our very way of life. We have accepted challenging emission reduction targets at EU and national levels and we have considerable … fuel poverty measures to allow for a just transition. Budget 2026 strengthens supports for farmers, fishers and foresters in rural and coastal communities in a manner that both supports incomes and ensures their long-term sustainability. We are providing €2.3 billion to the Department of Agriculture, Food

Minister will know from the statistics in his Department that people with disabilities and their families are among those most at risk of poverty in the State. They have been abandoned in budget 2026. That is not me as a member of the Opposition saying … them with a pitiful €10 increase in the disability allowance. This is an increase that does not even keep pace with real inflation. Food prices, rents and energy bills are all rising and the response of the Minister's Government is a slap in the face to those

spin it. This Government’s choice is clear. This has turned out to be a McBudget, a giveaway for fast food chains and developers that the public will find difficult to swallow. The Government's budget awards multinational companies like McDonald's and Starbucks millions in extra profits … while families choosing between eating and heating are denied targeted energy credits and more and more children sink further into poverty. lt really is outrageous. Last year, McDonald's Ireland made a profit of €42 million. This is not a business that is struggling but that does

difference. A means test that is phased out over the next four years is four more years of carers having to justify their poverty, with some having to stand beside and be based on the income of a partner and others simply having to miss out because their … Family Carers Ireland, two thirds of carers experience financial distress. Almost half say they have to cut back on essentials like heating and food to make ends meet. Many are caring around the clock, with no pension, no security and often in total isolation. On top of that

society. Two out of five people with a disability are at risk of poverty. One in five lives in absolute and consistent poverty. That is a shocking figure in itself. It is well documented that the cost of living is higher for people with disabilities. The costs have … crisis. We are not living in normal times. The rate of inflation is accelerating, in particular the cost of essentials such as heating, food, transport and everything else. A Government report in 2021 confirmed the additional cost of disability was between €9,480 and €11,734. That

supporting their communities. Yesterday we saw no increase in child benefit for that couple with two children, yet they will face increased fuel, food, childcare and medical costs. Many of the families I deal with use child benefit for rainy days when they must cover an increased bill … Government yesterday. Those with disabilities who are seeking employment were also ignored. People with disabilities have the highest unemployment rates and poverty rates among other demographics in Ireland. I am truly appalled that no specific measures were announced on budget day to tackle the high unemployment and poverty

cafés and restaurants. If any Member of Dáil Éireann wants to stand in any of these cafés, restaurants or pubs that serve food and tell the owners that they are flaithiúlach and that things are going great, good luck to them. They would be out of touch with … what is needed. They want to see more investment in schools, communities and sports facilities. They want to see children lifted out of poverty. We are fair-minded people, and there are many who understand that when we have to balance resources, targeted measures such as that relating

this State. One in three families struggle to pay their energy bills. Something like 50% of families find it hard to put enough food on the table to feed their children. Yet the Government, at a time of plenty, has decided to make their lives harder. That … this budget is a betrayal of disabled people and states that it will strip away vital supports and lead to a deepening of poverty. It points out that the past three budgets have recognised the extra cost of disability through the disability support grant, which is now gone

Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will commit to developing an integrated national food security strategy that strengthens local production, addresses food poverty and ensures that our food system is both environmentally and socially sustainable (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter