Following the release of a new CSO report last month titled ‘Measuring Ireland’s Progress 2012’ Dublin South West TD Seán Crowe has said that more needs to done by the government to address the rising cost of living including energy, rents, price cartels and transport charges.

“This report, published by the CSO ranked Ireland as the fifth most expensive EU state in 2012, after Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Luxembourg with prices 15% above the EU average.

“Of course their is no real comparison between the quality of life and the services these countries receive.
 
“The government needs to be more proactive in reducing costs to business and service users including energy, rents, price cartels and transport costs but unfortunately this government’s sole focus on competitiveness has been on wage reduction, impacting directly on take home pay and the casualization of labour.

“Many in the Irish workforce face longer hours, reduced earnings and yet this government continues to place additional costs on workers with the local property tax and the introduction of water charges. This is all money that is being drawn out of the domestic economy leading to less money being spent on goods and services and the loss of jobs.

“The government needs to increase employment and safeguard the earnings of our workers. A recession of this magnitude will drive down some prices, yet we are still well above the EU average.

Seán Crowe concluded:

“The quality of any recovery must be measured by an increase in employment and earnings.”

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