Cullinane calls for emergency budget
With the cost of living set to rise for the foreseeable future, Sinn Féin and left of centre parties, such as Labour, are calling on the government to take drastic action and introduce an emergency budget.
Ireland had an emergency budget in 2009 to address the financial crash. Emergency budgets are rare and would usually only be considered to address major changes in the economic environment.
Waterford TD David Cullinane argues that the latest confirmation of energy price increases has pushed Ireland beyond the point of conventional interventions, as he calls for an emergency budget to take urgent action.
He said the “confirmation of sharp increases in Prepay Power’s electricity and gas prices is another hammer blow for workers and families in Waterford”.
“Households across Waterford city and county are already under huge pressure from rising rents, mortgage costs, grocery bills and energy costs. For many, an extra €300 a year on energy bills is simply not affordable,” explains Deputy Cullinane.
“Workers and families in Waterford cannot absorb this. They cannot budget their way out of it. And they cannot wait.
“But that is exactly what the government is telling them to do, wait until the next budget, wait while bills rise, wait while pressure mounts. That is not good enough.
“People in Waterford are experiencing hardship now. Workers are under strain now. Families are falling behind now. The government has the resources to act. We are running budget surpluses while households are being pushed to the edge. That is a political choice and it is the wrong one,” he said.
“Sinn Féin is again calling for an emergency budget to protect households from spiralling energy costs. That means immediate, practical measures, direct supports for workers and families, and real action to reduce energy bills.
“The government must stop standing back and start standing up for ordinary people in Waterford and across the state,” Deputy Cullinane added.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
