An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2022-04-07
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Labour Panel

As today is World Health Day, I commend all those who work in our health system and thank them for their dedication, and I call for another debate on health in the coming weeks.
Like Senator Kyne, I call for a debate on the cost of living. According to the figures released today, inflation is at its highest level in 22 years after jumping to 6.7% from 5.6%. That is a staggering figure. A debate on the cost of living is urgent because, notwithstanding the immense work that the Government has done through mitigation measures, a significant proportion of working people in our country are the squeezed middle. Tá siad faoi bhrú. It is not good enough just to talk about it. We need to have a debate and, arising from that, action. I ask that working families – those who are in the middle, pay for everything and get no handouts – be given recognition by the Government in what is admittedly an extraordinarily volatile situation. The Government has acted, but prices have increased by 1.9% and, in the coming weeks, we will see significant inflation in food prices. There is an onus on the Government to act on behalf of the squeezed middle. I hope that the Deputy Leader will arrange for the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform to attend the House for such a debate after the Easter recess.
I thank the officials and staff of all parts of the Oireachtas for their courtesy during this term. I wish everyone a happy Easter.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2022-04-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:21+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-04-07