Cost of living measures not good enough, opposition says

The opposition has greeted the government’s €500 million support package with scepticism.

On Sunday, Cabinet announced €500 million in supports in an attempt to end the ongoing fuel protests.

The government announced a 10 cent cut in excise on both petrol and diesel to the end of July, expanding a scheme that was set to expire at the end of May, and the government’s planned increase in carbon tax has been deferred until October’s budget.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the measures were paid for with last year’s budget surplus.

Members of the opposition were quick to criticise the government’s measures, however, with Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan saying that measures do not address wider cost of living challenges.

“Yet again, the government has failed to do anything to tackle the skyrocketing cost of home heating oil – which 700,000 households are reliant on,” the Dublin Bay North TD said.

“This government are either unwilling or unable to get to grips with a spiralling cost-of-living crisis which is having a devastating impact on individuals and families all over the country,” he remarked.

“Many low and middle-income families are barely keeping their heads above water. The government is not listening to them and it’s not helping them,” the Soc Dems finance spokesperson said.

“These individuals and families need targeted supports, as a matter of urgency, so they can withstand these price shocks.”

The party will back Sinn Féin’s vote of no-confidence against the government on Wednesday, along with Labour, People Before Profit/Solidarity and Independent Ireland.

Sinn Féin TD Paul Donnelly said, “the government have lost the confidence of the public.”

Dublin Fingal West TD Louise O’Reilly said “how can we have confidence in this shambolic government?”

The Sinn Féin TD said, “I’ve seen too many people in my offices and in my clinics pushed to the brink by this government – we are helping where we can and doing all we can but without support from the government ordinary people will be left stranded.”

“It is clear that they still are not listening and do not accept the scale of this fuel and cost of living crisis,” the Dublin West TD said.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the government have “failed abysmally to protect workers and ordinary people from the cost of living crisis,” saying that the crisis is “escalating because of Trump and Israel’s murderous and illegal warmongering.”