{"id":25080,"date":"2022-02-13T09:35:07","date_gmt":"2022-02-13T14:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25080"},"modified":"2022-02-13T09:35:10","modified_gmt":"2022-02-13T14:35:10","slug":"sinn-fein-accuses-government-of-not-doing-enough-on-spiraling-cost-of-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25080","title":{"rendered":"Sinn F\u00e9in Accuses Government Of Not Doing Enough On Spiraling Cost Of Living"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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TD Claire Kerrane said the majority of people would see no help in the weeks ahead aside from the increase in the rebate on household energy bills announced this week (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government has not done enough to help workers and families impacted by the spiraling cost of living, Sinn Fein has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TD Claire Kerrane said the majority of people would see no help in the weeks ahead aside from the increase in the rebate on household energy bills announced this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Government minister Roderick O\u2019Gorman said a combination of targeted and universal measures had been announced to benefit people across Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A package of measures to deal with inflationary pressures was announced after a meeting of the Cabinet Economic sub-committee on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main step will see the rebate on household energy bills increase to 200 euro, including VAT, and public transport fares are set to be cut by 20% from April for the rest of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People already in receipt of the fuel allowance are set to receive an additional payment of 125 euro and those eligible for the drug payment scheme, which places a cap on the maximum a family can pay on medicines a month, will see the limit reduced from 100 euro to 80 euro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Ms Kerrane told RTE\u2019s The Week in Politics program: \u201cAfter waiting so long for the government to take action on the cost of living crisis, I think what we really needed to see was targeted measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat we did see was the vast amount announced going to everyone, that isn\u2019t targeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government haven\u2019t done enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government could have done more, they should have done more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cThe truth is that for the vast majority of families, aside from the 200 euro electricity credit, they will see no additional help whatsoever with heating when it has gone up by on average about 700 euro per household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey will see nothing, workers and families, beyond that electricity credit to assist them in the week ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr O\u2019Gorman said: \u201cThe measures we have brought forward are a combination of universal measures and targeted measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnergy credit is universal because we want to get it to people as quickly as possible, knowing that people are struggling with their energy bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is also that targeted element, the lump sum of 125 euro for those receiving the winter fuel allowance, bringing forward measures on the working family payment, reducing the threshold for the drugs payment, those are all measures that will impact directly on people who already identified as having low income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a recognition that the changes in energy prices have had an impact on every family, on every household across the country and that is why it is important we have a universal element in our response.\u201d<\/p>\n

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