Latest news with #JenniferWhitmore
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Cancer support centres in Wicklow still waiting for budget funding
The government pledged to invest €41 million in cancer services this year, including a €5.5 million allocation to the Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres and Services. Purple House in Bray, Greystones Cancer Support and Arklow Cancer Support Group are members of the Alliance and were due to receive funding during 2025. However, it's understood none of those groups have received that funding. Former Health Minister Stephen Donnelly first made the announcement while paying a visit to Purple House Cancer Support Centre in Bray last October, where he also stated he had asked his Department to consider funding for other cancer support services in County Wicklow. These include Wicklow Town Cancer Support, West Wicklow Cancer Support, Rathdrum Cancer Support and Roundwood Cancer Support. Funding was also ringfenced for these community cancer support groups around the county, but they have yet to be contacted by officials from the HSE. Raising the issue in the Dáil recently, Social Democrats TD for Wicklow Jennifer Whitmore called on her constituency colleague Tánaiste Simon Harris to make sure the promise of funding for these groups is kept. 'The Tánaiste and I both well know the amazing work these cancer groups do in County Wicklow. I have seen correspondence from the former Minister where he said that funding would be recurrent funding, no matter the affiliation with the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP).' In response Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said The HSE and the NCCP have recently been working with community organisations to distribute the 2025 funding allocation. 'The first call for the full members of the Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres, of which Purple House is one, is now almost complete and the second call for the associate members is now under way.' 'The Alliance has 21 full members and 22 associate members. The associate members will now go through that process as well, but the priority is, of course, for the full members.' she added.
Irish Independent
18-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: TDs take a break but big challenges await when they return to Dáil
Those gliding down the stairs of Leinster House for the summer break may not have found it quite so difficult to tear themselves away. But if government TDs had been hoping to get out through the gap and into the wide blue yonder without too much fuss, they had another thing coming. No amount of factor 50 would have saved them from the scorching that the opposition had prepared. They were accused of being 'epic wasters' by Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. The Coalition splashed the cash to buy votes last year, but now is saying once-off payments are a bad idea. She claimed public spending is up 50pc in a few short years. Ireland has, she said, 'a housing crisis, record homelessness, threadbare disability services, a cost-of-living crisis and energy and water infrastructure that is crumbling'. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín also said people around the country will look to mark the Government's 'report card' on the Dáil's last day. The 10,000 homes promised by the Government 'never materialised', he said, adding that the only thing that is more affordable at the moment is cocaine. 'Criminals are doing a better job in creating a functional market for an illegal drug than you are in terms of housing,' Mr Tóibín said. We will get through this one too Tánaiste Simon Harris hit back, saying the county has reached record levels of employment and an economy that's running budget surpluses. But speaking on RTÉ, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said it was important to be honest. The impact on job creation and levels of employment within the economy would be worse if Donald Trump imposes 30pc tariffs. 'This is a big challenge, we need to have a moment of recognition of that, but we have faced challenges before and we will get through this one too,' he said. Mr Donohoe has had to maintain a fine line between being upbeat or unduly pessimistic, but he is right to remind us that we have come through adversity before and emerged the stronger. All indicators suggest that by the time the Dáil recess ends, we may once again be facing a tough road ahead. But as pointed out by Pythagoras – the man who developed the theory of proportions – 'in this theatre of man's life, it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers-on'. However, coping with Mr Trump's capriciousness would tax the energies of Hercules. He even managed to take the fizz out of the world's most famous brand, Coca-Cola, with his announcement that it was going to sweeten its signature drink with cane sugar in the US. Caught on the hop, a statement said it 'appreciated Mr Trump's enthusiasm' and that 'more details will follow'. But – just like governments around the world – the soft-drinks firm was clearly clueless, trying to put a brave face on it, pondering if it is 'the real thing'.
RTÉ News
12-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Dáil blackout brings cost of living crisis into spotlight for Government
"Have you paid the electricity bill, minister", came the pointed quip from Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore in a Dáil chamber unexpectedly thrown into darkness on Wednesday morning. A power outage had temporarily shut off the Leinster House lights and, as luck would have it, the black-out happened just as the Government was insisting it is not trying to hide the cost of living crisis in the political shadows. Moments earlier, the Dáil had been locked in debate over surging grocery prices and TD claims some families are spending more than €3,000 a year on buying the basics from supermarkets. As the lights flickered back on, Deputy Whitmore took the opportunity to intensify the political spotlight. "When the Government talks about the crisis in grocery prices it tends to do so in the past tense. "It talks about rapid price increases when Russia invaded Ukraine, as if the crisis ended there" Deputy Whitmore continued. "However, what is not acknowledged is that those prices never came down and now grocery costs are skyrocketing again, while the Government sits idly by and watches it happen. "Part of the privilege of being in Government is that the Minister of State can intervene. "The big question the Minister of State needs to answer today is why she has done none of these things. Why is the Cabinet acting like bystanders, narrating a problem instead of doing anything?" Deputy Whitmore asked. The claim was something the Government could no doubt have done without. However, given the Opposition's renewed focus on the cost of living crisis this week, and the Coalition's view that no specific package to address the situation will be included in this year's budget, it is one likely to be returned to in the weeks and months to come. Cost of living crisis The reason for that renewed opposition focus on the cost of living crisis is largely due to developments outside of Leinster House in recent days. On Tuesday, children's charity Barnardos published the findings of a new survey of 1,000 families, conducted on its behalf by Amarach research. The survey said 40% of families who took part have borrowed money to pay for their children's essentials, and that one in three households went into arrears on their electricity bills at least once between April 2024 and April this year. In addition, it also found that 40% of parents have skipped meals so their children had enough to eat, and 12% have used a food bank in recent months. Those figures were followed on Thursday by new Central Statistics Office findings showing that food inflation (4.6%) increased by more than twice the rate of general inflation (1.8%) in the 12 months to June, with some families now paying upwards of €3,000 per year for groceries. And they came in the same week as a lack of clarity continued over the student fees saga, with students protesting outside of the Dáil and Trinity College Dublin issuing invoices of just over €3,000 to some students for the new academic year. Add into the mix the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll which last weekend suggested cost of living (32%) remains the second most important issue for voters behind only housing (51%), and the raft of numbers and statistics point to one conclusion: The cost of living crisis debate has not gone away, and remains a weak spot for Government which the Opposition is now keen to target. Dáil debates That targeting was most keenly felt on Wednesday, when - after the Leinster House black-out was quickly resolved - the spotlight was soon shone firmly on the issue. Hitting out at the situation during a Social Democrats motion seeking to address "price gouging" by supermarkets, party TD Gary Gannon said families across Ireland are having to choose "between eating and heating" while party colleague Rory Hearne said food banks have confirmed the biggest growth in people attending are those in "working families". Similar concerns were raised by Labour's Ged Nash, who said "if it walks, talks and acts like price gouging, it very well may be", before dismissing previous promises to take action without ensuring reforms were introduced as the equivalent of the Father Ted reference "can anything be said for another mass?" And they were joined by Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty who accused Government of "sitting on your hands" over the issue, a claim the Coalition was quick to reject. Responding to the criticism and further allegations that previous promises to address the high price of groceries failed to stop those prices rising higher, Fianna Fáil's Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Niamh Smyth said the Government is not ignoring the issue. "You walk into a supermarket, come out with a handful of items and will have spent €50 or more. "I appreciate that is a huge challenge for parents. In today's world, to have parents going without feeding themselves to ensure their children are fed is very difficult," Minister Smyth said, adding that Government is taking steps to resolve the situation. These steps, she said, include plans to give the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission greater powers to take action against supermarkets, a view repeated on Friday by Fine Gael's Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon. Some progress, perhaps, but on the wider point of whether a cost of living package is needed in the upcoming budget is causing some division too, with Sinn Fein TD Johnny Guirke claiming while special supports are needed none are being promised as there is "no election this year". That stand-off had been repeated a day earlier over the student fees controversy, with Fianna Fáil TD for Further and Higher Education James Lawless coming under similar pressure over whether help will be provided to households struggling with rising costs. During a debate on the potential €1,000 increase in student fees this September, taking place in the Dáil as students watched on from the public gallery, Minister Lawless was told by Independent TD Seamus Healy that Government is "throwing students under the bus" if they go through with the fee increases. That view was repeated by Labour's Spokesperson on Education and Youth Eoghan Kenny who said when you have to choose between education and costs "you realise how little you are valued by the State", and by Sinn Féin's Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire who said "there are Cabinet ministers who think the cost of living crisis is over". Those claims were roundly rejected by Minister Lawless, who insisted Fianna Fáil is the "party of education" and that while he agreed with the sentiment of some of the Opposition barbs many were in his view "cheap populism" and "points scoring". But with rising costs and growing financial pressures in households nationwide, it is an open question over who voters would rather believe. Extra budget supports or not Politically, it all leads to one brewing pre-budget row, even this far out from October - and one which may prove difficult for Government to overcome. In recent months, the Government has clearly and repeatedly outlined the economic constraints it may need to work within over the coming period due to the ongoing financial certainty in the wider world. But while that is a widely accepted view, the Coalition cannot ignore the financial pressures being faced by the general public either. That is a political dilemma and one that the Opposition calls for greater cost of living support is likely to increasingly target, and also one which a Government caught between national need and individual household circumstances may find increasingly difficult to avoid.
Extra.ie
11-07-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Meat and dairy prices surge amid claims of 'price-gouging'
Meat and dairy prices soared in the last year, latest Central Statistics Office figures show. A carton of full-fat milk has increased by 27c (from €2.20 to €2.47), while cheese has gone up from €10.39 per kilogram to €11.34. A pound of butter is also adding extra to Irish grocery bills, costing €3.73 just 12 months ago but increasing to €4.83 this year. Meat and dairy prices soared in the last year, latest Central Statistics Office figures show. Pic: Shutterstock The CSO also recorded a hefty rise in the price of meat. Customers face a 20% increase in the price of a kilo of roasting beef and a 19% rise in the cost of buying a leg of lamb. The report also revealed that the price of a pint of stout at a pub had risen by 27 cents, now costing €6.07, with a pint of lager costing €6.49, up from €6.20 last year. The CSO released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of June 2025. This revealed that the average price of most groceries is on the rise for Irish consumers. A carton of full-fat milk has increased by 27c (from €2.20 to €2.47), while cheese has gone up from €10.39 per kilogram to €11.34. Pic: Shutterstock The report found that prices for all consumer goods and services had risen by 1.8% compared with June 2024. Making up the bulk of this rise was the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages sector which saw prices go up by 4.6% since last year. This means the rate at which food prices are inflating is almost double the rate of inflation for other goods and services across the economy. The CSO highlighted changes in the national average price for selected groceries from June of 2024. This saw a rise in prices for most common groceries found in Irish supermarkets. A pound of butter is also adding extra to Irish grocery bills, costing €3.73 just 12 months ago but increasing to €4.83 this year. Pic: Getty The report did outline that some goods, such as fruits and vegetables, had remained unchanged and that the price of potatoes had actually decreased by 29 cents per 2.5 kilograms. The CSO figures come amid concerns among opposition TDs that major super- Enhancing existing laws market chains are artificially raising their prices. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Pic: Fran Veale Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore put forward a motion on Wednesday that would see any supermarket with an annual turnover of €10million or more required to publish its audited financial accounts. This was in response to what Ms Whitmore called clear evidence of 'price gouging'. Her party colleague, Gary Gannon, echoed her views, saying Irish families were being asked to choose 'between eating and heating'. Labour TD Ged Nash raised similar concerns, stating that 'if it walks, talks and acts like price-gouging, it very may well be'. Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Niamh Smyth TD at Government Buildings. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Niamh Smyth, responded to the criticisms saying the Government 'acknowledges the concerns regarding rising costs'. The Fianna Fáil TD said the Government is considering enhancing existing laws to increase fines and make the State's consumer watchdog more 'robust'. The only sectors where prices were found to have fallen in the CPI were the transport sector, which is down by 2%, and Clothing and Footwear, which has fallen by 2.3%. CSO figures also showed a decrease in the average price of petrol by nine cent per litre while a litre of diesel had dropped from €1.71 to €1.65.
Irish Independent
09-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Coalition won't force supermarkets to publish profits as opposition says Irish public being treated as ‘cash cow'
The coalition is coming over increasing political pressure over the cost-of-living with the opposition focusing in particular on the cost of basic supermarket staples which are running up to €3,000 a year. The Minister or State at the Department of Enterprise, Niamh Smyth, said the Government is examining how it can give the Consumer Protection Commission more powers. She was responding to a Dáil motion tabled by the Social Democrats calling for supermarkets with an annual turnover of €10m or more to have to publish their full audited financial accounts, and for fines to be imposed on those that do not. The party's TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, who said the cost of living is 'out of control' and nowhere is that more evident than on the supermarket shelves. 'The scale and the speed at which prices are increasing is astronomical and there is no sign of it slowing down,' she said. 'In a few short years, the costs for families has increased by €3,000 per year. Grocery costs are now skyrocketing at three times the rate of inflation,' she said. 'A person can now spend €50 on groceries and carry them out in their hands," she said adding that this is 'not a niche issue' and affects middle-class families as well as poorer ones. Minister Smyth said the Government could not support the proposal for supermarkets to publish profits, because it does not align with EU laws. But she said the Government acknowledges the concerns of families around rising costs and accepts 'food inflation has had a tangible impact.' She said: 'We are progressing legislative reforms to enhance the CCPC's enforcement powers, including the ability to impose stronger sanctions for breaches of consumer protection law.' 'This will ensure that anti-consumer or exploitative practices can be tackled more effectively and with greater deterrent effect. 'It is intended to introduce turnover-based fines for serious breaches of consumer law, ensuring that penalties are proportionate to the scale of the offending business.' ADVERTISEMENT The Labour Party accused the Social Democrats of introducing a 'copy and paste' version of a Bill that it previously tabled. Its spokesperson on finance, Ged Nash, said the grocery market in Ireland is worth at least €8 billion a year but there is no transparency around profits. 'Many of us have long suspected that consumers in Ireland are being gouged by large supermarket chains that use their operations as a cash cow,' he said. 'However, without full transparency on profit levels, it is very difficult to prove this. It is also very difficult for the consumer regulator, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, to do anything other than issue bland statements because, in reality, it has no teeth.'
