Tags: Bernard Allen, budget, Cork, deflation, Ireland, politics, prices

Bernard Allen

DECREASING consumer prices should not be used as an excuse to target the most vulnerable in the upcoming December budget according to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Bernard Allen TD.

According to the Cork TD, though overall prices have declined by 6.6%, some key areas which affect families disproportionately have actually seen prices increase.

“It may be the case that it’s cheaper to buy a house or book a holiday but education and healthcare costs have actually risen. It is costs like these that impact disproportionately on the very people who are struggling most with the economic mess created by Fianna Fáil.

“We are also seeing fuel costs creeping up again and this will be further inflated by the Green’s carbon tax, forcing thousands of families across the country who have no access to any sort of public transport to pay even more just to get to work or get their children to school.

“For the Government to use the overall deflationary trend to put hard pressed families under even more pressure is disingenuous and will further strangle potential economic recovery,” he said.