Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has said the Government is looking at further measures to help with the cost of living crisis, in particular focusing on childcare and public transport proposals.
Mr Varadkar was speaking in the Dail in response to Sinn Fein Pearse Doherty who slammed the Fine Gael leader while highlighting how households across the country are struggling to pay their rent and bills.
Mr Doherty said the Government had “lost control” of the cost of living crisis and that families are “really struggling.”
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Mr Varadkar said the Government has moved to protect people and introduced a number of measures such as the €200 energy credit and a reduction in excise duty on fuel.
However, he added: “There are areas where we can help and can do more, such as childcare, such as public transport and we are working on proposals in those areas.
“The government has actually done something in €2.4 billion euros worth of relief to help households with the cost of living.”
Mr Varadkar said inflation was at levels “we haven’t seen for a very long time”.
He added: “People are feeling the pinch and it’s more than a pinch, a lot of people are struggling to make ends meet.
“It’s affecting households, families and also businesses in terms of the cost of energy.
“People see it when they fill their car with petrol or diesel, you really see it when you see your electricity or gas bill, and increasingly you’re starting to see it in other areas such as the cost of groceries as well.
“It is true that those affected the most are those on the lowest incomes, because they spend more of their incomes on food and energy than people on middle and higher incomes do but I don’t think it’s the case that it’s only affecting people on low to middle incomes.
“People on average incomes of €40,000 to €50,000 a year, working full-time are being affected too.”
Mr Doherty said while many factors were beyond the State’s control in terms of rising prices, “soaring rents and unaffordable childcare are not beyond the control of this Government.”
He said: “In many ways, they have reached such unaffordable levels because of Government policy.
“The Government can and must respond.”
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