Rip-off republic..and Government are to blame for price rise

THE ripoff Republic is back and our out of touch Government and their officials are doing nothing to stop it.

- JOHN KIERANS

Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister, Jack Chambers believe they are geniuses because the economy against all the odds is booming.

But the harsh reality is the people who work their butt off every day of the week, don't feel it in their pockets.

Just take the weekly grocery shop where staples have all gone through the roof.

What was once for me, an €80 weekly shop now costs €100 no matter what supermarket I go into.

The biggest instigator of rising costs is the Government itself. Just take the cost of energy and why are our electricity prices the most expensive in Europe?

We the people own the ESB yet minis ters have allowed it to consistently raise prices - then we have to pay VAT on top.

The State is talking about reducing VAT for the hospitality sector in the next Budget when what it should be doing is ditching VAT on electricity.

Mr Martin and Mr Donohoe say there will be no cost of living measures in the October Budget to help struggling families - a decision which is a national disgrace.