Varadkar: Government will not be extending all cost-of-living measures
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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government will not be extending all cost-of-living measures that are due to expire at the end of February.
However, he said there would not be a “cliff-edge” and said relevant ministers would meet in the coming weeks to decide what measures would be extended.
The energy credit for households, a reduced 9% Vat rate on electricity and gas, reduction in excise duty on petrol and fuel are some of the cost-of-living measures introduced by the Government last year that are due to end at the end of February.
The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme is also expected to wrap up before March.
Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Mr Varadkar said the Government did not have the resources to continue all cost-of-living measures that are due to expire at the end of next month.
“We'll work out which measures we can continue and which ones we can't and we will try and do that as quickly as possible in the next couple of weeks,” he told the Dáil.
Mr Varadkar said although incomes were rising in Ireland, the cost-of-living was rising faster and that a lot more people, if not most people, are worse off this year than last year.
Mr Varadkar said there were a number of measures the Government introduced to help households in the budget that will not expire, including reducing the cost of childcare for families by 25%.
The Fine Gael leader said the Government hoped to reduce this further again later this year in the budget.
He said the Government had extended the fuel allowance, increased social welfare payments by €12 and tenants were given €500 rent credits.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the ending of some measures presents the “perfect storm” to households and they need clarity and called on him to produce a plan.
Mr Varadkar also admitted the Government missed its social housing target last year, with 6,500 social homes provided.
He was responding to co-leader of the Social Democrats Catherine Murphy, who told the Dáil the target for delivery of new-build social homes last year was 9,000, before it was “reduced quietly” to 8,000.
She said Mr Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin claim they are both prioritising housing but questioned where the evidence was to prove it.
The Taoiseach said the Government would exceed its target last year, which was to build 25,000 homes and said he believed data would show there were 28,000 provided.
He said the State hoped to exceed its target of 29,000 homes this year and hit back at Ms Murphy, saying she did not acknowledge that 6,500 social homes are still the highest number of new social homes in Ireland for a long time.
Mr Varadkar said he understood the magnitude of the housing crisis the State was facing and the impact it was having on people who want to buy a home.
Meanwhile, Leas Ceann Comhairle Catherine Connolly asked Mr Varadkar about where is the final judge-led report into the allegations made by the women of honour into sexual misconduct within the Defence Forces.
Mr Varadkar said the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin had yet to receive the report, but it is expected shortly.
He said the Government and Mr Martin were “deeply concerned” about the allegations brought to light by former female members of the army.
Once he receives the report, Mr Martin will consider it, speak to the Attorney General and will bring a recommendation to Government as to how to take it forward, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.