Government urged to cap price of food and subsidise essentials

Opposition parties call for the introduction of price controls on certain food items

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party has been calling on the Government to examine the rising cost of groceries for some time. Picture: Getty Images

The Government must cap the price of food and subsidise essential groceries to help struggling families with the cost of living, opposition parties have said.

Both People Before Profit and the Labour Party have called for the introduction of price controls on some food items.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said a Barnardos report, which revealed that one in 10 parents in this country use food banks, “shows that Government budget measures haven’t gone nearly far enough”.

"The Consumer Price Act gives the Government the power to control the prices of basic goods and services in an emergency," he said, adding that price caps should be introduced on a basket of basic goods and services.

"If necessary, basic goods and services should be subsidised in order to make to make them affordable. We cannot have a situation where people are relying on food banks or are cutting back on food for their children. So, the Government has to introduce caps."

Mr Boyd Barrett added that there are "enormous profits" being made by energy companies and large retailers that must be addressed.

He said the Government must hold an emergency budget and an increase in social welfare rates to at least €300 per week.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party has been calling on the Government to examine the rising cost of groceries for some time.

She said existing legislation does provide the power to look at maximum pricing but added that the Government should introduce windfall taxes for big energy companies.

"There's a number of things we are looking for Government to move on to address the cost of living. 

"One of those ways is indeed through looking at food prices, another is looking again at energy prices and at other means of addressing the rises that are causing so many families such hardship," Ms Bacik said.