Cost of living crisis: 'People have to come first' says Cllr

The government have to “put money in people's pockets” in the budget to help them cope with the cost of living crisis, a local councillor has said.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Cllr Ken Glynn said that many people are worried that they won't be able to make ends meet this winter.

“It is absolutely huge. I have people ringing me concerned about rising energy and electricity prices. People are afraid that it could come to the situation where they have to choose between heating, light and other basic things such as food and putting fuel in the car. There are huge concerns out there.”

Cllr Glynn says that the budget on September 27 is the “most important the country has ever had”.

“The government needs to recognise that people are under pressure and are really concerned. If you put diesel in your car one week and go back the next it has gone up three or four cents a litre. “People are really concerned [about the rising cost of living] and along with housing it's the key issue I am hearing on a daily basis.”

The Fianna Fail man says that the government “needs to reach to everybody” in the budget, particularly people on lower incomes and those on middle incomes.

“There certainly should be an increase in fuel allowance and they need to give a bigger credit to middle income earners. Everyone forgets about middle income families but they are struggling too.

“For the people that don't qualify for a fuel allowance there should a bigger subsidy to help them with home heating. Nothing has been done about home heating prices, it's shooting up again.

“It could go back to the old days when people looked for payment plans and we moved away from that a long time. People are really feeling the pinch.”

While prices are rising across the board, Cllr Glynn says that the one thing that isn't going up

in line with inflation are wages.

“Wages have been more or less at a standstill. I think come budget time there needs to be an increase in fuel allowance and higher subsidies for middle income earners, as well as a tax credit for workers.

“They need to put money in people's pockets and help them because people are genuinely concerned.”

Cllr Glynn also noted that with growing fears over electricity blackouts over the winter the government needs to reconsider opening the peat powered plants that have been closed in recent years.

“People have to come first. I know we have targets to meet, but our people have to come first, always.”