The Daily Star Ireland
Mounting concerns over rising food prices and expanding homelessness have taken centre stage in parliamentary debates, as opposition parties pressed the Irish government for stronger intervention ahead of the upcoming Budget. With inflationary pressures still weighing on households, political leaders raised urgent questions about affordability, transparency in retail profits, and the growing number of families living in emergency accommodation.
The leader of Sinn Féin highlighted the financial stress Irish households continue to endure, pointing to steep year-on-year increases in the price of essential food items. Addressing the Dáil, Mary Lou McDonald cited recent figures showing a 54% rise in the price of sugar, a 48% increase for lamb, and a 55% jump for cod fillets, based on Central Statistics Office data. According to estimates referenced in her remarks, many families are now spending up to €3,000 more annually on food compared to 2021 levels.
McDonald questioned the effectiveness of the government’s discussions with major supermarket chains, which were convened by Minister of State Neale Richmond to address food affordability. She called for a robust cost of living support package to be introduced in the next Budget, emphasizing that families continue to bear the brunt of economic strain despite recent policy efforts.
In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin acknowledged that global events such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine had significantly contributed to price hikes. However, he noted that inflation had recently subsided and fallen below the European Union’s 2% target. Martin stated that the forthcoming Budget would prioritize support for housing and reducing child poverty, and he projected national wage growth of approximately 3% to 3.5% in the current year.
Transparency and Profit Scrutiny in Retail
Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan echoed concerns about spiraling grocery bills, emphasizing that households were facing hundreds of euros in additional food-related costs. He raised doubts about whether retailers were profiting excessively from recent price hikes and criticised the lack of transparency in supermarket profit disclosures.
O’Callaghan proposed that retailers should be legally required to publish detailed profit margins, allowing the public to better understand pricing dynamics. He questioned the government’s priorities, highlighting its decision to lift pay caps on senior banking executives, and contrasted that move with the limited progress on grocery affordability.
Martin responded by pointing to measures already introduced to alleviate cost-of-living pressures, particularly tax-related changes and state-supported expenditure initiatives. He defended the government’s record, describing Ireland’s interventions as among the most significant across the European Union in recent years.
Emergency Housing and the Rise in Homelessness
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik drew attention to Ireland’s escalating housing crisis, particularly the growing number of children in emergency accommodation. She projected that newly released data would show an increase in the number of homeless minors, building on figures from the end of May that reported 4,775 children living in temporary housing arrangements.
Bacik described the situation as a national failure, asserting that the state had fallen short in its duty to protect vulnerable families. She urged the government to adopt Labour’s proposed legislation, originally introduced eight years ago, that would require local authorities to give greater priority to children in housing decisions. She also advocated for the reintroduction of a ban on evictions as a means to stem the rise in homelessness.
In reply, Taoiseach Martin stressed that the government had ramped up efforts to tackle housing shortages, pointing out that more social housing units had been built in the past four years than in the four decades prior. He also claimed that progress had been made in reducing the length of time families were spending in emergency accommodation.
However, he argued that a renewed eviction ban could worsen supply constraints, calling such a measure regressive. Martin stated that the Housing Commission had warned against overly interventionist policies, which, he said, could further strain the housing market and limit the availability of long-term solutions. He reaffirmed that the government viewed the issue as a national emergency and remained focused on addressing it through structural reforms.
