Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the cost-of-living measures come to an end after February because the government lacks the funds to keep them all going.
Mr. Varadkar said that the government will conduct a review to determine which measures they can continue to support after the introduction of cost-of-living measures like the three €200 energy credits last year to help Irish households. “We will work out which measure we can continue and which ones we can’t,” he said.
The Opposition made requests, but the Taoiseach didn’t specify which policies would be dropped in response. “Those are very legitimate and fair questions to ask, but I can’t answer them since the Government hasn’t met,” he responded.
The Taoiseach said that the current decline in childcare costs would probably last forever and that he would like to “go further” with it. In order for people to have a better understanding of their financial situation, Mr. Varadkar added that the government will conduct an assessment of all reliefs in the coming weeks.
The Taoiseach also noted that inflation is finally starting to slow down, but “it’s just that prices are going up less fast than they were earlier.”
Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sinn Fein, said that the cost of living crisis “hasn’t gone away” and that more people are turning to charities for financial assistance.
Ms. McDonald pointed out that charities like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have seen a significant rise in the number of requests for assistance. She added: “The cost of living crisis hasn’t gone away. For many households the situation is in fact getting worse.”
The Dublin Central TD has called on the government to provide “clarity” for people who are struggling amid the cost of living crisis. She said: “People continue to make hard decisions just to make it to the end of the week. After two years of people being hammered by soaring living costs, people need clarity.
“You’ve said there’ll be no cliff edge, but people need to see the plan,” added Ms. McDonald.