Councillor Helen Ogbu, Labour’s candidate in Galway West in the upcoming by-election, has said that the recent protests are the direct result of the Government’s failure to engage with and listen to communities, warning that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis continues to push families to the brink.
Following a motion of no confidence in the Dáil this week, which Labour supported, Cllr Ogbu said the debate reflects the Government’s failure to stand up for ordinary workers.
“The protests we have seen in recent days did not happen in a vacuum. They reflect a growing level of public frustration and are the result of a Government that has failed to listen, failed to engage, and failed to act on the real concerns of communities. Across the country, people see a Government that is out of its depth and out of touch.
“We have seen farmers take to the roads with their tractors and workers in transport and other sectors speak out about the pressure they are under from rising fuel costs. Their concerns are real and deserve to be heard.
“But while the protests may have been sparked by fuel prices, they point to a much deeper frustration. For many people, this was the last straw after months of rising bills — energy, food, housing — all going up while supports have failed to keep pace.
“That is why there has been such strong public support. People recognise their own struggles in what they are seeing. Whether it is housing costs, grocery bills or the price of keeping the lights and heating on, families feel squeezed from every direction.
“This is what happens when the cost-of-living crisis is ignored and working families are left to shoulder the burden alone.
“On the doors in Galway, the message is clear: people are under real pressure. Families are struggling with rising energy bills, soaring grocery costs, and unaffordable housing, alongside growing concerns about fuel and home heating oil. Yet the response from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has been a package designed to placate narrow interests, with little for low- and middle-income workers who are carrying the burden.
“PAYE workers have been left behind. These are people paying their taxes from pay packets that are already stretched. They looked to Government for support and got none. This is not just a policy failure – it is a failure of priorities.
“We recognise that some time-limited supports may be needed for exposed sectors, but this Government has serious questions to answer. There are 320,000 households in arrears on energy bills. Where is the support for them? Where is the targeted help for working families who are doing everything right but still cannot get ahead?
“Where is the renewed push for remote working to reduce commuting costs? Where is the intervention to bring down energy bills? Where is the plan to ease pressure on households?
“While protests may ease, the issues that have driven such a strong public response have not gone away. Families are still being squeezed from every direction while workers are left to carry the burden.
“This crisis has laid bare a Government that is out of touch with the pressures facing ordinary workers and unwilling to act. People need leadership that listens, engages, and delivers real support — and this Government has failed on all three counts.”
