Government is 'very committed' to reducing the cost of living, Taoiseach insists 

Micheál Martin was responding to criticism from members of the opposition 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the CCPC has been asked to conduct an analysis on the Irish grocery retail sector, with a view to determining the existence of excessive pricing or not in an evidence-based way. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

The Government has "the guts" to take on any supermarkets that are involved in price gouging, the Taoiseach has insisted.

Micheál Martin said the coalition is under "no illusions" about the impact of the cost of living on families and will be moving to provide the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) with additional powers.

It comes as the Dáil heard that families are facing "impossible decisions" with parents skipping meals so their children can eat, and cancelling medical insurance to save money.

Citing a Barnardos survey, which found that one in five families have cut back or gone without heating in the past six months, members of the opposition called on Government to address rising costs, especially the price of groceries.

Social Democrats TD Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if he has "the political guts to make supermarkets publish their profits and have full transparency?"

Mr Martin said the CCPC has also been asked to conduct an analysis on the Irish grocery retail sector, with a view to determining the existence of excessive pricing or not in an evidence-based way.

"We also have the equivalent of the agricultural ombudsman in terms of food prices. We are looking at strengthening the powers of the CCPC to protect consumers. Last week, there was again engagement with the CCPC on the motor industry.

The Government is very committed to reducing the cost of living.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik claimed that listening to the rhetoric from Government figures in recent weeks, "you would think that the cost-of-living crisis had ended".

She told the Dáil that renters are now paying in excess of €2,000 per month to keep a roof over their heads, adding that Eurostat data show that household expenditure on goods and services in Ireland is the second highest in the EU.

But Mr Martin said Ireland was among the only countries in the EU in a position to do the level of once-off cost-of-living packages "because of successful management of the economy" in recent years.

"The reality is there was an excessive inflationary spiral coming out of Covid and as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequential increase in energy prices. That did impact and that is why there were exceptional once-off cost-of-living packages in addition to budgetary measures in recent years."

Mr Martin hit out at the opposition for placing its entire focus "on giving everybody everything" and instead said a child poverty approach is "essential" in the next budget.

"It is easy to call for everything for everyone but, actually, we would not have the finances over a period to sustain that. We have invested considerably," he said.

The Barnardos Cost of Living 2025 survey published this week has found that parents are borrowing money to buy food and other essentials, and are already “dreading” next winter’s heating bills, it said.