Tipperary TD calls on Government to bring in measures to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis

South Tipperary TD Seamus Healy has called on the Government to immediately address the cost of living crisis and reduce the cost of fuel.

"There has been a cost-of-living crisis in this country for a number of years. That crisis was, to some extent, addressed by way of energy credits and once-off social welfare payments in the 2025 budget. Of course, that was in the run-up to the November 2024 general election. It was a blatant device, obviously, to buy that election. Once the election was over, these measures were callously scrapped. The election was bought, and was done and dusted, and the Government did not do anything further except sit on its hands," said Deputy Healy.

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"The cost-of-living crisis for families is devastating as a result. On top of that, we now have the illegal Israeli-US war on Iran. This has sent energy prices, including those for petrol, other fuels and home heating oil, through the roof. These increased costs are already feeding into general inflation.

The 2026 budget was predicated on a 2% inflation rate, and that rate was already being exceeded before the current crisis. Before the current crisis as well, we had 319,000 families in arrears with their electricity bills and 185,000 in arrears with their gas bills, and thousands more families are struggling to pay their bills and keep their heads above water. Families are facing an appalling financial vista as a result of this situation.

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The Tánaiste's Government is not only sitting on its hands but it is proposing to increase energy prices further from 1 May. We would wonder if this Government is real. In my view, the Government must immediately reduce the cost of petrol, diesel and home heating oil, scrap plans to increase the cost of home heating oil on 1 May 2026, immediately pay a €400 emergency winter payment and increase the fuel allowance and extend its duration by at least four weeks," he said.