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diesel as normal. There is nothing normal about families having to watch the fuel gauge because they are afraid of the cost of living and filling the car. There is nothing normal about a farmer wondering how much it will cost to keep the machinery running or about … country doing the weekly shop ultimately pay the price. This is not simply an agricultural issue; it is a food security and cost-of-living issue. It is an issue for every household in the country. The most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office, CSO, show that

deal with the issue of home heating oil at last. People have seen huge increases. We need more action on the cost of living in general and on the cost of childcare, education and healthcare. It is right across the board. The way that this State … getting support but are being asked to pay a second time. Through voluntary contributions, GP fees and third-level fees, the cost-of-living crisis comes back to bite them every time

níos inacmhainne? We are now less than two weeks to budget day. The main thing on people's minds is the runaway cost of living, and the big question is what the Government will do to get costs under control and help households keep their heads above water … Simon Harris therefore simply cannot come in here on 6 October and roll out yet another budget that fails to tackle the cost of living and leaves working people behind. To be clear, the Government's failure to tackle the affordability crisis has real consequences. Yesterday, the National

Minister of State and the Government have had their heads in the sand about the cost-of-living crisis and squeeze for far too long. In recent years, Sinn Féin has used every opportunity we could to point out the challenges facing workers and families, with groceries, insurance … nail so that, one day, we will have a Government that will do the right thing and support people in a cost-of-living crisis and not continue to keep its head in the sand

cost-of-living crisis has been building in this country since Covid. It is now at gale-force strength, battering families right across the country. The Government made the crisis even worse by withdrawing the cost-of-living supports in the last budget, costing families

this winter but deferring the carbon tax is the very worst way of going about that. Irish households are suffering from a cost-of-living crisis that, at its heart, is driven by our country's dependence on fossil fuels. The carbon tax remains the only part … panels will be installed. Reducing funding for these measures is the worst thing that could be done in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and the Green Party will not support any legislation that has the effect of doing this. There are alternative ways in which

tank needs to be filled that can mean finding a significant amount of money at one time. This is a very real cost-of-living crisis. We all know that household finances remain under enormous pressure. The latest CSO figures show that 8.3% of households with utility bills … energy families need to purchase. Budget 2027 is just two weeks away. The Government has already indicated that the measures relating to cost of living and home heating oil and further energy supports will be central to the budget. Changes to mineral oil tax can be dealt with

People are struggling with the cost of living, including the cost of getting in and out of work and of transport generally, and we need to increase the number of people using public transport for climate reasons. The Government's response is to increase fares to make … cost-of-living situation worse for people and to reduce the number of people using public transport. The first point is self-evident: the 15% increase is a significant hit for people who use public transport, particularly working people

move: Wednesday's business shall be: — Motion re Withdrawal of the Mineral Oil Tax (Emergency Cost of Living Reduction) Bill 2026 (without debate) — Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026 [Seanad] (Second Stage) (to conclude at the end of the first speaking round; not to exceed 3 hours … taken on the conclusion of private members' business; 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Withdrawal of the Mineral Oil Tax (Emergency Cost of Living Reduction) Bill 2026 shall be taken without debate; and 3. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill

pathetic admission of the failure of Government policy to address an entirely predictable situation in terms of petrol prices and the cost of living. The Government does not even want to discuss it but has been forced, because of the fear of public outrage and protest, to have … this reconvening of the Dáil. It wants to curtail the debate so we do not actually get to discuss the cost-of-living crisis that is affecting hundreds of thousands of working people and families in this country. It is pathetic

consider broader questions around affordability, taxation policies, fuel poverty and how we support households in the here and now with the real cost-of-living pressures they face. That is the responsible way to make policy: examine the evidence, understand the costs and consequences, and make decisions … week, and to retain the flexibility as a Government and as an Oireachtas to continue to respond as we see best on cost-of-living matters in the round in the budget in a few short weeks' time. At the same time, we will not lose sight

midterm elections, he will have some sort of road to Damascus conversion is complete fantasy. This is Alice in Wonderland stuff. The cost-of-living crisis goes far beyond the price at the pump. The ever-increasing cost of housing, groceries, childcare and electricity has made paying … voting for this measure because people need relief and they need it now, but the Government has lost control of the cost-of-living crisis and the public are paying for it. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are caught in a doom spiral of haphazard emergency measures that

scared of the people. The only reason we are here today is that the Government is scared of widespread protests about the cost-of-living crisis. In response, we have a two-month stay of execution for petrol and diesel costs alone. It is completely inadequate when … cost-of-living crisis, driven by Trump's imperialist adventures in the Middle East, is worsening for working people right across the board. What people want and need are certainty, security and stability. These could easily be provided. We have been calling for price controls for years. They

centres and billionaires such as Mark Zuckerberg coming to buy a castle in Ireland. Donald Trump, of course, the architect of the cost-of-living crisis, will get the red carpet rolled out by this Government, with €20 million, I believe, to be paid for security for that … well. Most GPs have put their prices up to €70 over the summer. The Government is doing nothing about the cost-of-living crisis. One-off measures are not going to work

recent report by the Irish League of Credit Unions. It is a lot for parents who are struggling with the cost of living. Government needs to intervene and mandate schools to introduce non-branded uniform clothing so parents can shop around for the most affordable prices. I previously … place, these families could face paying up to €200 for primary school transport and €220 for secondary school transport. In a cost-of-living crisis, this is an attack on working families who are doing their best to get their children to school and to get to work

Government. Instead of easing the pressure, this Government has reintroduced State examination fees, increased school transport charges and reduced a range of cost-of-living supports for schools and for families. Parents continue to subsidise the education system through so-called voluntary contributions because schools remain chronically underfunded … supports such as the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance continue to help families meet the real cost of education. The cost-of-living crisis has not disappeared simply because the Government has stopped talking about it. Families know that every euro counts. They feel the pressure

their doorsteps. The Government points to improvements like the free school books scheme, but these gains are wiped out by the cost of living. The Government has reintroduced State examination fees, increased school transport fees, cut the back-to-school clothes and footwear scheme and removed the cost

burden, with more than one in four getting into debt. I would say that number is rising now in view of the cost-of-living crisis. Technology is emerging as a pressure point, but uniforms remain the main pressure point. Some 15% of parents have had to avail … gear. Uniforms are supposed to represent equality, but they have become another financial burden on families who are already struggling with a cost-of-living crisis that has been going on for a very long time. Families are being squeezed from every angle, but particularly in Donegal where

cost-of-living crisis. Groceries are up by 40% and diesel is up by 60% over the past five years, yet another bill is landing every August for families who send their children to school. That bill is an ICT bill. It is a bill for a laptop … result of lack of consultation, and now the people paying the costs are the hard-pressed families who are struggling with the cost of living. It is a very similar situation to the school uniform, where we had single suppliers for crested uniforms. These suppliers were often charging

balloting for strike action is unnecessary when we are a Government willing to engage with them. On the general question on the cost of living, we have been clear there will be an income tax package to reward work and support workers across the economy. We want … last number of years, but also that we make a real impact in improved public service delivery and reduce the cost of living, with a priority around childcare, disability services and other areas as part of budget 2027. We must ensure that everything we decide

When we discuss the cost-of-living crisis, we need to move beyond the headlines and focus on the reality facing households. The Government points to falling inflation rates as evidence the crisis is easing but inflation measures the speed at which prices are rising. It does … continue. They were not asking for special treatment; they were asking for common sense. Housing remains another major contributor to the cost-of-living crisis. The Government will point to more than 36,000 homes being completed in 2025. While that increase is welcome, affordability remains the real

measures brought forward by Government because those people needed relief. I voted for that package. Fuel is only one part of the cost-of-living crisis, however. There are thousands of people who will never organise a protest. There are families quietly struggling behind the front door … those living with disabilities who are under just as much pressure every single day? The Government cannot pick and choose whose cost-of-living crisis it responds to. Relief cannot depend on who is most visible. It must reach those who are doing everything right, working hard

giving all of us an opportunity on all sides of the House to discuss the pressures households are facing regarding the cost of living and the actions the Government is taking. It is fair to say that some people on the far side of the House have been … Middle East. To be fair to Deputy Boyd Barrett, he acknowledged it and the impact that it is having on the cost of living, not just in Ireland but right throughout the globe, and how governments are responding to that issue. One thing I will take issue with

show assertive leadership. In our submission on the Presidency, we highlighted six key priorities, namely Irish unity, the promotion of peace, the cost-of-living crisis, workers' rights, overseas development aid and fair play for farmers and fishers. On the first of these, it is extraordinary that … slip off the agenda. However, the conflict there is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, conflicts in the world. The cost-of-living crisis is next. The cost of energy and reform of the energy markets are crucial. Workers’ rights are another priority we highlighted

alternative in the meantime. People are under savage pressure. Members of this House cannot say, on the one hand, that the cost of living has gone up and, on the other, ask what the Government or anyone else is doing about it. The cost of energy … addressed. It is fine if everything else is sorted out, but people are being driven into the ground with the cost of living. No matter how much they earn, they have nothing left for to pay for houses and for the energy to heat them