Sinn Féin TD for Cavan-Monaghan, Pauline Tully, has called on Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Niamh Smyth to state whether they agree with Fianna Fáil Minister of State at the Department of Finance Séan Fleming’s statement on RTÉ radio that people should stop complaining about the rising cost of living.
Teachta Tully said that the comments were deeply offensive, as workers and families struggle with the increasing costs of heating their home and getting to work every day.
The Cavan-Monaghan TD said:
“At a time when workers and families are dreading their winter energy bills coming through the door and when government are proposing to increase the cost of fuel further by ploughing ahead with an increase in Carbon Taxes, these comments from a Fianna Fáil Minister are a further illustration of how out of touch this government is.
“People’s quality of life and their ability to plan for their future are really suffering. They have every right to complain about an out of touch government that is unwilling or unable to bring forward measures to tackle an out-of-control cost of living.
“There is a pattern of inaction from the government on the bread-and-butter issues.
“They have done nothing for hard-pressed renters. Their big answer to extortionate childcare fees was to cap them at their current unaffordable level.
“Now, the government is happy to sit on his hands while families are further ripped-off for the basic necessity of lighting and heating their homes with nothing more to offer than advice to ‘shop around’.
“I am calling on Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Niamh Smyth to state whether they agree with Seán Fleming’s comments and if their advice to our constituents in Cavan-Monaghan is to simply stop ‘complaining’.”
