Emergency Budget needed to support workers and families says Donegal TD

The Government to introduce targeted measures that support low and middle-income households.

That was the message from Sinn Féin spokesperson on finance Pearse Doherty TD as he reacted to today's (Thursday) Consumer Price Index published by the CSO, which shows the highest rate of inflation in 38 years

The Gaoth Dobhair man called on the Government to bring forward an emergency budget to protect struggling households.

“Figures produced by the CSO today show that inflation has hit the highest rate in nearly four decades. In the year to May, prices rose on average by 7.8%.

“Household energy prices are up by 57% while the cost of home heating oil has more than doubled.Food prices are up by 5% and will rise further.

“These are not just numbers, but represent the real hardship being felt by households who simply cannot bear these price increases.
For months, Sinn Féin have called for an emergency budget to provide targeted support to struggling workers and families."

He said it is disgraceful that the Government refuses to act while households face the biggest price shock in decades.

“That even the Tories in Britain have responded to the cost of living crisis with greater urgency shows how out of touch this Government is.

“Yesterday, the OECD in their Economic Outlook noted that the Government’s response to date has provided only limited protection to poorer households.

“We recognise that inflation has been turbocharged by the war in Ukraine, and that everyone cannot be insulated from every price increase. But the Government can and must do more – they have a responsibility."

He claimed Sinn Féin have been consistent in calling for an emergency Budget that provides targeted and sensible measures.

“By reducing the cost of home heating oil, not increasing it; reducing the rate of excise duty applied to petrol and diesel to the minimum level permissible; increasing social welfare rates, which the government have disgracefully allowed to fall far behind the rate of inflation; introducing cost-of-living cash payments to lower and middle-income households and by reducing childcare costs, increasing the minimum wage and helping struggling renters with a refundable tax credit and a ban on rent increases.

“The Government’s refusal to act is inexcusable, with workers and families paying the price," he said.