REACTING to comments from Fianna Fáil Minister of State Sean Fleming on the cost-of-living crisis, Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan said they were indicative of the government’s detachment from the lives of ordinary citizens.
Stating that workers and families are facing huge financial pressure to pay their bills, Deputy Quinlivan added that rent, childcare costs, groceries, energy bills and fuel have all skyrocketed while wages have stayed the same.
“For a member of the government to suggest people should shop around instead of complaining about the rising cost of living is simply outrageous. People in Limerick made huge sacrifices during the pandemic, many of them losing jobs and forced to avail of social welfare support. For them to be greeted with this arrogant and out of touch commentary by a member of the government is an insult.”
“For many, the cost of living has become untenable with parents forced to make the most difficult of choices. What gets foregone so that the house can be heated?
“Deputy Fleming’s comments are both arrogant and out of touch. They are indicative of this government’s failure to react to the bread-and-butter issues of cost of living and housing. Once housing costs are paid, little is left over for other weekly expenses like food and bills, which are also on the rise.
“Rather than dictating to hard pressed families what they should do, Deputy Fleming would be better served focusing on what he and his government colleagues should be doing to address these twin challenges. To date they have done very little. “
“I’m calling on government TDs in this constituency, especially Fianna Fáil, to say whether or not they stand over these outrageous comments and think people of Limerick should ‘stop complaining,”Deputy Quinlivan declared.
