'Callous and indefferent': Mary Lou slams Laois Minister Seán Fleming

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald had issued a withering attack on Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Sean Fleming in the wake of what has become known as his 'shop around' interview on RTÉ.

Ms McDonald raised the issue with An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who is also Minister Fleming's party leader, during leaders questions in the Dáil.

While the Taoiseach did not defend the remarks made by his Minister he staunchly defended the Government's record in helping workers.

While Minister Fleming apologised for his remarks about shopping around, the Fianna Fáil man's words were not enough for the Sinn Féin leader who weighed into him and his Government.

"For more than a year, households have been hammered by a cost-of-living crisis that is out of control. Workers and families do all they can to keep up with sky-high bills and runaway price increases, but people still cannot catch a break or catch a breath. They are crucified by the extortionate costs of housing, energy, fuel, groceries and insurance and everything going up and nothing coming down.

"Last night, a Minister of State offered people advice on dealing with this cost-of-living crisis. His big idea was for people to stop complaining and to shop around. Those were callous and indifferent remarks from a Minister of State who is paid €140,000. The Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, has form in blocking legislation that would force big insurance companies to stop fleecing their customers. His words reflect the attitude of a Government that is utterly out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people.

"Many households are deciding whether it is best to pay their massive gas bills or to put food on their tables. It took the Taoiseach’s Government a year to wake up to this crisis. For months, we have asked that VAT be removed from energy bills, but the Government did nothing. No work was done with the European Commission. There was no effort at all. The Government has now spent another four months talking about possible actions.

So what did Laois TD Seán Fleming say - full text of RTÉ interview

"Indeed, in the time it has taken the Government to give people a one-off payment of €100, it has managed to give one top civil servant two pay hikes worth €6,000. There was no dithering or delay there; it was done with the snap of your fingers. When it comes to workers and families, however, the response from the Government is slack. There is no urgency and no determination to get the job done," she said.

In reply, the Taoiseach chose not to defend the comments made by Minister Fleming but instead pointed to what help has been given. MORE BELOW TWEET.

Sinn Féin leader @MaryLouMcDonald raises the issue of the cost of living. She said, "last night a Government Minister offered people the following advice on dealing with the cost of living crisis. ..stop complaining and shop around". | More: https://t.co/av8gILpiiL pic.twitter.com/eTCnAQebeb

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 8, 2022

"Since this Government came into office in the midst of a global pandemic, a one-in-100-year event, the Government has intervened to an extraordinary degree to underpin incomes and support lower income workers, to keep people in jobs and to support enterprises. That has been an effective and successful intervention in underpinning our economic activity. There is no question about that. We supported workers from the get-go of the formation of this Government.

TD apologises for 'shop around' and 'stop complaining' comments about cost of living crisis

"This time last year, a barrel of oil on the international markets traded at $61; today it is at $91 a barrel. That was not caused by carbon tax. It is a global phenomenon. Let us not try to misrepresent the issue for the public out there who are watching. The cost of a litre of petrol has risen by 28% over the same period. Gas prices on international markets have nearly quadrupled over the past year. The average annual gas bill has risen by €700. The vast majority of that has very little to do with carbon tax. That has to be said," he said.

Full debate here