Louth TD says Government 'afraid to take on big business' on living costs

Labour TD for Louth Ged Nash has accused the government of being "afraid to take on big business" to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. 

Deputy Nash was addressing the Dáíl during a motion which called on the State to recognise a cost-of-living crisis exists. 

The Labour TD supported the motion and said although Ireland has an "objectively" successful economy, "we cannot say with any great certainty that we have a successful society because with a successful economy must come a more equal society."

"The experiences of far too many individuals and families across this country are undeserving of the kind of approach taken by the Government and the credit the Government gives itself for its great, successful economic model and how well the country is doing because the lived experience for far too many people is very remote from that sort of assessment and that sort of analysis," he said. 

Deputy Nash called on the Government to compel supermarkets to be "clearer on their margins" and to publish certain information to allow consumers to determine "whether they were gouging". 

He said former Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney had said he would introduce such legislation in 2023. However, Deputy Nash criticised the two reports that followed by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which he said found that there was "nothing to see here". 

"The Minister in 2023 thought this was a good idea. Since then, I believe from the data I have read that the annual cost of grocery shopping has gone up by about €2,000 but wages have not."

"Why can we not properly interrogate this? I do not like to conclude this, but it is quite clear that the Government is simply afraid to take on big business and corporate interests as its actions have shown," he said. 

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Speaking on the same motion, Sinn Féin TD for Louth Ruairí Ó Murchú public discourse is dominated by "the cost of everything and how it has gone through the roof." 

"We talk to constituents and constituents come in to us. We hear the conversations in shops or the odd time when people are in bars or anywhere else. It is about the cost of everything and how it has gone through the roof.

I do not think the Minister of State will be shocked to hear they are not generally impressed with the actions, or lack of action, of the Government," he said. 

Deputy Ó Murchú said he was thinking of worker in EuroGiant which is facing liquidation across its 77 stores, with 640 workers. 

He said there are "not enough safety nets for those who fall on worse times" and said those in "very good circumstances", which he said included developers and those in power in semi-State companies are "constantly looked after".

In response, Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture said "the best way out of poverty is through employment". 

"I recall the dark days of the 1980s when Ireland was scourged by joblessness, long-term unemployment and emigration. That is not the case today."

Minister Grealish noted that the minimum wage had increased by 65 cents in the last budget to €14.15 and hour, making it the second highest in the EU, only behind Luxembourg. 

However he said there has to be a balance between a fair rate for low paid workers and one that will not have negative consequences for employers, but concluded he expects the minimum wage to continue to increase over the coming years.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.