The Affordable Ireland Campaign has said that the Dáil must address the wider cost of living crisis facing households.
The campaign is asking members of the public to take part in a national protest on September 19th, and said that the Dáil must be recalled.
In a statement, the campaign said “it is not acceptable that fuel prices should go up in the middle of a cost of living crisis. It is widely accepted that prices for electricity and food will rise substantially in the coming months.”
“On multiple fronts households are forking out to meet rising costs for food, electricity, transport and the return to school and college,” they said.
“If the Dáil meets, it needs to address all elements of the cost of living crisis. Households need a clear indication that assistance to meet rising cost will be made available.”
The cost of living crisis has existed in some form in Ireland since late 2021, and has only been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the ongoing war between America and Iran.
“We are calling on all those who are angry about rising costs to come out and demand a budget that addresses the affordability crisis,” the campaign said.
Organisations, such as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, SIPTU, CATU (the tenants union) student unions, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament are supporting this protest.
The campaign stated that “Budget 2026 was a giveaway for developers and fast food chains. It left many households worse off. We can’t let that happen again. Budget 2027 must be a budget for the many suffering households.”
The campaign has numerous demands; calling for support to help with energy costs, which are the highest in Europe for consumers, price controls on food and energy, free public transport, wages, benefits and pensions to be index-linked to inflation, a cost of disability payment, a freeze and reductions in rents, and the reduction of fees for childcare and student costs.