Bacik: Incoherent, whack-a-mole Government approach to cost-of-living

The Labour leader said the Government should stop refusing to hold a mini budget, saying it has essentially unveiled similar in multiple parts

Labour leader Ivana Bacik accused the Government of a "cobbled together" response to surging living costs.

The Government is playing “whack-a-mole” by rolling out “ad-hoc”, and “cobbled together” cost-of-living measures, the Dáil has heard.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik told Taoiseach Micheál Martin that the Government should stop refusing to hold a mini budget, saying it has essentially unveiled a mini budget in multiple parts.

However, just hours after the Cabinet signed off on further measures for the agriculture and haulage sectors, Mr Martin insisted that there was no prospect of a mini budget on the cards.

Ms Bacik told the Dáil that people are already struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis, but that pressures have increased due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

“What we're seeing is not a coherent plan,” she told the Dáil.

“You talk about a strategic response. Where is the strategy? In the series of ad hoc measures you're formulating, they appear to be cobbled together in response to political pressure.

“You’re playing whack-a-mole. You've no clear vision for how to support working families through this deepening cost-of-living and energy crisis?

“Would it not be more honest to call your response what it is, a mini budget, but released in segments. Call it what it is, let people then judge it on its merits."

Families are already stretched to breaking point, she said. 

"There are more than 320,000 households in arrears on electricity, 180,000 behind on gas bills, highest levels on record. Homeless figures, highest on record. Grocery prices are rising week on week. Insurance, housing, education costs, all up.”

Ms Bacik said that struggling households have been “left wondering when they will get some real reprieve from your Government”.

In response, Mr Martin said that the Government has not and will not hold a mini budget as he noted that €750m in supports have been unveiled, including excise cuts.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, meanwhile, reiterated the calls made at her party’s Ard Fheis in Belfast last week for an emergency budget, which would include energy credits, a cost of disability payments, and a reduction to the universal social charge (USC).

Mr Martin suggested that the Sinn Féin proposals are too expensive, guessing that they would cost up to €5bn.

“We don't have money in the bottom of a drawer like you're suggesting,” he added.

Sinn Féin estimates that its package would cost €3.2bn. This includes €1.1bn by cutting USC and giving workers €500 back.

An excise cut is budgeted for €200m, while €900m would be spent on energy credits.

A €500 payment for people with disabilities, €400 for other social welfare recipients, including pensioners and working family payment recipients, an extension of the fuel allowance season by eight weeks and a double child benefit payment would cost €1bn, Sinn Féin said.