Donegal TD Urges Government to Restore Cost-of-Living Support

Donegal Deputy Pearse Doherty has called on the Irish government to expedite the restoration of a cost-of-living package following a significant rise in food prices. Recent figures released by market researcher Worldpanel by Numerator indicate that food price inflation has surged to 6.82%, challenging the government’s assertion that prices have stabilized.

Doherty criticized the government for not continuing essential cost-of-living supports during the budget announcement, asserting that the current situation reflects a serious miscalculation. He stated, “The reality for so many households across the state is that things have only gotten worse. Inflation is 50% higher than what the government forecast.”

The Deputy emphasized the disproportionate impact of these price hikes on ordinary workers and families. He remarked, “Headline inflation figures don’t come close to showing the real pressure people are under – food prices are the clearest example of that.” Doherty highlighted that families allocate a larger portion of their incomes to basic necessities, making them particularly vulnerable to rising costs.

Call for Government Action

Doherty urged the government to acknowledge its oversight and act with urgency. He stated, “The government needs to show some humility – admit they got this badly wrong and urgently bring forward a cost-of-living package.”

The report also revealed that five major supermarkets dominate over 90% of the market, raising concerns about competition and pricing transparency. He criticized the government’s inaction, insisting that measures should be taken to empower the competition regulator. “We urgently need to empower the competition regulator to deliver far greater transparency in terms of both pricing and profits for food companies and large supermarkets,” Doherty asserted.

Families struggling with rising costs cannot afford to wait, according to Doherty. He concluded, “Workers and families cannot afford to wait any longer; they need cost-of-living supports now.”

With the ongoing rise in food prices and the economic strain on households, the call for immediate government intervention has become increasingly urgent.