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business, the Government will ignore your demands, no matter how reasonable or justified they are. The fact that five years into a cost-of-living crisis the Government is still ignoring the demands of workers, carers and disabled people on the cost of living is truly outrageous. Prices … have gone up by almost a quarter in the past five years, but the Government decided that the cost-of-living crisis was over as soon as the general election was. That is why it used the budget to withdraw the cost-of-living measures that it used

proposals for the budget last year and the Government completely ignored them. The Government has thrown its hands up and said the cost-of-living crisis is down to an international situation. It is blaming global oil prices for the cost-of-living crisis but the reality … core aspects of this cost-of-living crisis are down to the Government’s own policies. What did the Government do just two months ago in the middle of this cost-of-living crisis? It allowed rents to be increased further for institutional investors and corporate landlords. Record

present, the Irish people are facing unprecedented challenges. They are trying to make ends meet in the face of an ever-expanding cost-of-living crisis. Workers and families the length and breadth of the country are being hammered by soaring prices. If it is not rents, student … Government cannot detach itself from the reality that the decision to withdraw energy credits and the failure to deliver an effective cost-of-living package is causing hardship and leading to more people falling into arrears. The reality is people are having to work overtime just to keep

from what we see and from what our constituents tell us, people are struggling and suffering. They are being devastated by a cost-of-living crisis. What we are being told about the reality of people's lives is that they cannot cover the basics. There are people … Tánaiste knows this. There are also young people who are trying to save for a deposit to buy a home. The cost of living is eroding their dreams even further. We have 320,000 people in arrears. We have families who are deciding whether they can afford

credit union consumer sentiment index for April has been published and it lays bare the severity of the cost-of-living pressure on people, especially when it comes to soaring energy costs. It reveals that a third of consumers expect to cut energy use just … Fáil when it crashed the Irish economy. It is a constant drag on people's wages and even more so during this cost-of-living crisis, so we propose a permanent USC cut that will put €500 back into workers' pockets. These are practical steps that

move: That Dáil Éireann: recognises that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is putting significant pressure on workers and their families as inflation continues to increase, eroding living standards and affordability for workers; notes that: — overall employment figures mask that one quarter of jobs in Ireland are considered … today and that will bring us to a better future. The purpose of this motion is twofold: to support workers through this cost-of-living crisis and to increase collective bargaining coverage across Ireland. The reality facing workers is becoming increasingly difficult. Workers have never worked so hard

thousands of workers feel undervalued, underpaid and overlooked. They are working harder than ever but struggling more than ever as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite in housing, groceries, childcare and healthcare. We believe it is essential to legislate to give workers and the trade unions … Council of Ireland. It has made it clear that young people are being left behind. Young workers starting off face the same cost-of-living pressure such as rent, insecure jobs, and higher insurance costs, hitting over €2,000 in a lot of cases. This is another cost

Minister of State knows, housing is the number one social crisis currently affecting the State and the cost-of-living crisis is the most immediate economic challenge. However, climate change represents an existential challenge, not just in this country but across the entire planet. We can see every … emissions reductions on families, workers, and small and medium-sized businesses. That is imposing enormous pain, particularly at a time of a cost-of-living crisis. Then, of course, there are others in this House and outside it who want to minimise, if not outright deny, the fact

Government threatened ordinary citizens with the Army. Yes, the protests were about fuel and the Government's mismanagement of the cost-of-living crisis, but the cost-of-living crisis is only the tip of the iceberg. When the cost of living

only will they not listen to the Irish people but they will not listen to TDs in this House. We have a cost-of-living crisis on top of a cost-of-living crisis, and that crisis has been deliberately worsened by Government policy, which favours the rich … powerful in our society and doubles down on the ordinary, decent working people and their families. In the teeth of a cost-of-living crisis, the Government abolished energy credits in this year's budget. It abolished social welfare supports, leaving thousands of families worse

workers and households who have for years been put to the pin of their collar by a spiralling and seemingly perpetual cost-of-living crisis that includes energy bills, rent, house prices, grocery prices, childcare costs, education costs and the cost of disability. I could … negotiating table with the representative bodies. Working people, small businesses, small farmers and so on are at the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis and very much have just cause to protest. I think we all - or certainly those on this side of the House - felt

This is a cost-of-living crisis that has been going on for almost five years. The lack of self-awareness on the part of the Government is really frustrating and disappointing. What we saw last week was an expression of how people are struggling … area of housing. I have made the point over and over and we have highlighted it. We are talking about a cost-of-living crisis. Imagine being evicted from your home. You cannot afford to get somewhere to rent so you go into emergency accommodation, which

Government seems to be blissfully unaware, there is a cost-of-living crisis. We know this from the numbers of people in energy arrears. We also know this from the figures from Barnardos and other agencies. This is backed up by the survey on income and living conditions … question is simple. In light of the announcement of a surplus last week, has the Minister given any consideration to a cost-of-living payment for those vulnerable households at risk of poverty

welcome but there is a question, in the context of the growing hardship on families, the cost of energy and the cost-of-living crisis, that people are being left behind. Potential talent, in particular, is being left behind at a young age if we do not reverse … support to that, but it did not appear. Will the Minister commit to the Government taking the rising poverty figures and the cost-of-living crisis as impetus for introducing a second tier of child benefit

contributory. In determining these budget increases, consideration was given to the most recent available consumer price index data and the broader cost of living pressures were also assessed in areas such as housing, energy and food. I am very conscious of the impact that increases in the cost

more is not because they do not comprehend international circumstances; it is because they looked to the Government in response to a cost-of-living crisis on which it has utterly failed them. The price shocks that are felt by the sector have knock-on effects … disabilities. Struggling businesses and ordinary people and workers need this now and it is no less than what is deserved during a cost-of-living crisis. We need an emergency budget

energy really is, not just as a climate measure but, more importantly, at this point as an energy security measure and a cost-of-living measure. If we continue to depend so heavily on imported fossil fuels, then workers, farmers, families and businesses will continue … transparent targeted package of supports that prioritises ordinary people as much as industry. We need measures that genuinely reduce the cost of living, strengthen energy security and protect vulnerable households from being left behind. The truth is that a resilient economy is not just one where supply chains

hauliers was because huge numbers of other people, who got nothing from the Government's concessions, have been crucified with the cost-of-living and housing crises and are angry about it. They are right to be angry because the fact of the matter is this Government, Fianna … their income. Workers are subsidising the obscene profits and lifestyles of the rich and these people are profiteering off the cost-of-living and housing misery that ordinary working people are suffering. That is why workers need to take the lesson of the hauliers

talk about the North and presidential elections, many people say there are more important things at the moment, in terms of the cost-of-living crisis, housing and healthcare. I would say "No", actually. There are urgent things in life and there are important things in life. There … urgency to the cost-of-living crisis, to housing and to healthcare, but over the 100 years development of this country, it is in our national interest to be able to organise on an island basis. It is in our national interest in terms of developing a bigger

cost-of-living crisis is putting significant pressure on workers and families. Bills are rising, rents are soaring and wages are simply not keeping pace. While employment figures are often hailed as good news, they only tell part of the story, because behind those headline numbers … beyond statistics, though, to what it means for real lives. I have been contacted by carers in County Clare struggling with the cost of living. County Clare is predominantly rural, so one carer, Jean, travels 44 km between one client and the next. She has no choice

year-old? It is simply a licence for businesses to exploit the labour of the young. They face the same cost-of-living crisis as other workers, fuel prices and rent costs among them. The Government is condemning another generation of young workers to live with their parents … road on abolishing sub-minimum rates of pay for young people until 2029. If only it were so simple to defer the cost-of-living crisis. Equal pay for equal work was a radical concept more than 100 years ago. It should be the norm

what value we place on the people whose work keeps this country running every single day. We are living through a cost-of-living crisis that has not eased and shows no sign of easing in any way, any time soon, for ordinary households. Inflation may fluctuate … term fairness. Our amendment will call on the Government to take the actions that workers urgently need, including the introduction of a cost-of-living mini-budget to index income tax bands and credits in 2026, backdated to January just like the others, alongside targeted energy credits

Food prices have risen by over 20% in a relatively short time. That represents a very real and sustained increase in the cost of living. For lower income households the situation is even more stark. A healthy weekly shop can take up to one third of disposable incomes … Roscommon-Galway, this issue is particularly acute and was brought to the fore during the recent fuel crisis, which expanded into a cost-of-living issue for people in that area and many other areas. Choice can be more limited and households can be more exposed to rising

Public Gallery. They are very welcome. There is real anger among workers and families pushed to the brink by the cost of living. People are working and paying their way yet they are falling further behind with each passing week. We finally have a very frank admission from … wrong? Will he accept that his poor decision-making left working people exposed to the full force of this cost-of-living crisis? Let us be clear. The Government did not just fail to help people but it made things worse. Workers were punished but others did very

including the doubling of fees for secondary students and the 33 per cent increase for primary pupils, in recognition of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis; and resolves that the current model of inclusive education is a failure, rejects the Government's rationing-by-stealth approach, and demands … access. I ask the Minister to please engage with the Save Our SNAs campaign and advance their updated circular now. In this cost-of-living crisis that the Government seems so oblivious to, we need to reverse the reintroduction of exam fees and the hike in school transport

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is considering reintroducing cost-of-living payments like those in previous Budgets as a matter of emergency to help people with cost of living increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31268/26

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to an emergency cost-of-living payment to vulnerable households at risk of poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31203/26

will increase his departmental budget allocation in budget 2027 to those in receipt of the State pension, in response to the increased cost of living as a result of the conflict in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31283/26

Social Protection the measures being taken to support low-income households in rural constituencies such as Galway east in light of ongoing cost-of-living pressures, including fuel, transport and childcare costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31111/26

introduce free public transport, in the light of the recent fuel crisis, the need to reduce fossil fuel and to address the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31342/26

extend or make permanent reduced public transport fares; and the assessment that has been made of their impact on passenger numbers and cost-of-living. [31115/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to the cost-of-living crisis and ensure that low to middle-income workers are a priority in the upcoming budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31678/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of providing for cost-of-living supports for people with a diagnosis of dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31506/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of providing for cost-of-living supports for people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31507/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection his views on the merits of providing for cost-of-living supports for people with a diagnosis of early onset dementia, particularly for those very much short of retirement age; and if he will make a statement

with early June last year; and the reason no instalment or phased payment system is available to support families during the ongoing cost-of-living pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31008/26

Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether the level of wages for apprentices is adequate, especially in light of the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30445/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any cost-of-living, inflation or domestic energy price benchmarking formed part of the most recent review of the electricity allowance and natural gas allowance; and if so, to provide details of the methodology used. [29797/26

Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will increase the SUSI grant given current levels do not fully reflect the rising cost of living for students and families. [30547/26

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth in light of the cost-of-living crisis and cost-of-doing-business crisis, if she will reverse the reintroduction of leaving certificate and junior certificate fees, and increases in school transport fees; and if she will

will review the recent reintroduction of State examination fees for leaving certificate and junior cycle students in light of ongoing cost-of-living pressures on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29009/26

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if childcare costs will be reduced in light of the worsening cost of living crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29067/26

college fees; the consideration being given, in the context of Budget 2027, to further reducing the student contribution in light of ongoing cost-of-living pressures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25220/26

have no alternative transport options; if she accepts the widespread concern being expressed by parents that such a steep rise during a cost-of-living crisis is unreasonable and risks pricing families out of essential school transport; if her Department plans to review, or reverse this increase

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the immediate tax or fiscal measures being considered to alleviate ongoing cost-of-living pressures on low and middle-income households, particularly in light of rising energy, food and housing costs; and if he will make

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of outpatient non-attendance cases attributed to transport issues, cost of living pressures, or protest-related disruption in each week from January 2025 to date. [28186/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider the implementation of an emergency cost-of-living payment in response to the increase in fuel prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27768/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to urgently deal with the cost-of-living crisis (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27803/26

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will introduce a €500 energy credit for households to respond to the cost-of-living crisis. [26786/26

Affordability Taskforce; the direction has he given the taskforce to address the impact of the conflict in the middle east on the cost of living; the additional supports he will provide for households; the steps he is taking to ensure more households do not fall into arrears