People Before profit repeats call for energy price caps and proper rent controls
Richard Boyd Barrett TD has accused the government of “fiddling around with piece-meal measures while spiraling energy prices and a cost-of-living crisis are financially crucifying hundreds of thousands of households.”
Deputy Boyd Barrett pointed out that People Before Profit were the first party to bring a motion into the Dáil in October last year calling for radical measures to deal with the inflation and cost of living crisis, which included a call for the government to use its powers under the Consumer Protection Act to introduce price caps on energy and heating fuel – measures which the government rejected.
Deputy Boyd Barrett also repeated his party’s long-standing call for the introduction of a serious regime of rent controls where the government set rents at genuinely affordable levels.
People Before Profit are also calling for, as a minimum, an increase in the minimum wage to a living wage and increases in wages, pensions and social welfare payments to keep pace with inflation.
He said: “The government originally told us that the price hikes were ‘transitory’. We warned them in October last year with a Dáil motion and again in December that anything less than direct state intervention, using powers already available to them in law, would address the crippling rise in energy and heating costs. Then they announced a tiny subsidy of €100 for electricity consumers. Next week the cabinet will come up with other proposals which will also be totally inadequate unless they abandon their slavish allegiance to market ideology and introduce energy price controls and, serious rent controls.
“The reality is this government is ideologically opposed to imposing regulation on market forces. It pretends that ‘nothing can be done’ because there is a global rise in inflation. This is only an excuse to cover for their failure to intervene in the economy decisively.
“With the cost of living spiraling out of control workers, pensioners and the least well-off are seeing the value of their income slashed in real terms – their wages and incomes must be increased to keep pace with these rises or more people will be driven into poverty and homelessness.”
“People Before Profit has advocated three measures which could cut the cost of living for working people.
- The government should impose a maximum price order on energy. Under the Section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007, they can issue emergency orders in relation to supply of electricity, gas and home heating oil. Under Section 62 of the same Act, they can fix maximum price orders.
- They could bring in real rent controls that contain a facility for reductions on rent.
- Increase the minimum wage to a living wage and increase wages, pensions and social welfare payments to keep pace with inflation.
“This government are refusing to take these measures because it opposes interference in the market. This is an ideology we can ill afford during this escalating and crippling cost of living crisis.”
