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THE VAST MAJORITY of Irish people are worse off financially than they were a year ago, a worrying new survey has found.
Research conducted by Red C on behalf of The Journal found that 76% of people are in a more difficult financial position than they were last year.
This is especially high among older people, parents and people who live outside of Leinster.
The research found that 48% said they were slightly worse off while 28% responded by saying they were “much worse off financially”.
Just 1% of people surveyed said they were much better off with 5% saying they were slightly better off than this time last year.
The results come after a year of ever increasing inflation as well as significant increases in daily cost of living expenses such as energy prices and petrol/diesel.
The coalition is currently engaged in discussions on how best to alleviate the crisis for people across the country.
This year’s Budget has been moved forward to the end of this month to announce efforts to combat the cost of living crisis. However, there was some hint of good news for the upcoming Budget as it emerged last week how the exchequer recorded a surplus of €6.3 billion.
This compares to a deficit of €6.7 billion recorded to end-August 2021, an improvement of €13 billion.
A statement from the Department of Finance stated that the “increase reflects strong growth in tax revenues and a decline in voted current expenditure due to the unwinding of Covid-19 supports”.
On a European level, the European Central Bank yesterday announced its decision to raise interest rates by a record 0.75 percentage points in a bid to combat inflation.
A statement released by the ECB stated that it took the decision because inflation remains far too high and is likely to stay above target for an extended period.
“Soaring energy and food prices, demand pressures in some sectors owing to the reopening of the economy, and supply bottlenecks are still driving up inflation. Price pressures have continued to strengthen and broaden across the economy and inflation may rise further in the near term.
“As the current drivers of inflation fade over time and the normalisation of monetary policy works its way through to the economy and price-setting, inflation will come down. Looking ahead, ECB staff have significantly revised up their inflation projections and inflation is now expected to average 8.1% in 2022, 5.5% in 2023 and 2.3% in 2024,” the statement read.
The increase means those on tracker mortgages face higher bills.
Energy Prices
The cost of electricity and gas has increased exponentially since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan yesterday brought a memo to Cabinet setting out a series of actions to shore up energy supply.
Ryan confirmed that this year’s budget will involve ramping up the supports that householders got earlier this year, including another €200 energy credit.
He said it will be a combination of the same social welfare measures which target those most at risk of fuel poverty, as well as the energy credit “which we gave to every single householder build because everyone’s going to be affected”.
If the public, the Government and business do not cut back on their energy consumption between now and the end of the year, energy supply will be “very tight”, said Ryan.
It is expected the energy credit will be significantly higher than the last amount given out, with sources indicating it could be more than double.
His comments came as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will propose to cap the huge revenues earned by nuclear and renewable power companies that benefit from exorbitant electricity prices.
Leyen also said that a mandatory target for reducing electricity use at peak hours will be on the table, as the EU has to save electricity, but “in a smart way”.
Inflation
The cost of food and drinks have also increased significantly worldwide.
The latest statistics, published by the CSO in June of this year, found that producer prices rose by 49.1% for dairy products, by 14.5% for meat and meat products, and 11.7% for grain milling, starches and animal feeds.
Jillian Delaney, statistician in the CSO’s Prices division, said: “Prices in several food categories produced by Irish manufacturers were significantly higher in June 2022 compared to the same month last year.
This has resulted in knock-on effect for the Irish consumer who is now paying more for their weekly shop than they were 12 months ago. It has been estimated by supermarket analyst Kantar that the average grocery bills could rise by over €450 a year. The analysts said that grocery prices in Ireland have risen by 6.5%, the highest jump in a decade.
Some of the largest price increases were amongst essential items such as butter, eggs, bread and flour.
Education costs for parents
One of the cohorts the Red C found to be feeling the pinch more than most was parents of dependent children.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul’s (SVP) last month reported how it received, on average, 30 calls an hour from parents who are unable to afford the costs of sending their children back to school this year.
A statement from the SVP said that almost half of the requests came from one parent families, which they said reflected “the very high levels of poverty experienced among these families”.
Some of the stories SVP members heard when calls are made seeking help include parents being asked for €150 on the first day and being told “everyone has to pay” and that’s after paying for books, uniforms, tracksuits and stationery.
It’s a similar story for people trying to get into third level education.
A 25% increase in student grants and a considerable reduction in third-level fees are among the measures being considered.
A cut in the €3,000 college contribution charge is under consideration.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said earlier this week: “You can improve the student grants system, both in terms of the amount and making sure more families qualify. And you can also look at the registration fee,” adding those are two levers at his disposal.
However, third level students are also having serious trouble accessing the rental market with many priced out of living near their colleges.
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Equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome would be my preference.I would have an issue with us heading down this road.
@Garret Fawl: there were the same naysayers when quotas for women were brought out and did society collapse? Including people in systems designed to exclude them is not a bad or dangerous thing.
@Black Irish lives matter: This has been tried for decades in Scandanavia and proven to have a detrimental effect. It just doesn’t work. You either want the best person for a role or you don’t.
@Black Irish lives matter: This country has never used quotas for women. Opportunities were provided, women were allowed work after having children, things like that. What you said is false.
@Black Irish lives matter: What you’re suggesting is equal opportunites for everyone, be they male or female, black or white, and that’s what we already have in this country.
If we introduce a system where we chose one group in society, quotas, we automatically descriminate against all others. You cannot have both.
@Arch Angel: is that why Finland rates one of the best country’s in the world for happiness?
@Arch Angel: the problem is that women, minorities and those from deprived areas are not able to put themselves in a position to get these roles, and while there it is difficult to move up due to the current white male, non diverse workforce. We need to start at schools, colleges and create a system to enable everyone to have the same chance of equality of outcome. It’s not there, and won’t be with out some kicks.
@Brynþór Patrekursson: It’s social engineering that discriminates against Irish people in their own country. Who decides the quotas, what positions are to be made diverse, is there a public consultation process?
@Barry: Finland isn’t Scandinavian
@Black Irish lives matter: yeah let’s dilute the Sector just to add a splash of colour!
It dissent matter a fig if your different colour of religion. If your the right person with the right qualifications then your hired
@Black Irish lives matter: no, society did not collapse but people were passed over for posts and promotions because they were men. Positive discrimination in favour of women or those of a skin colour or ethnic background is discrimination against men or people of a skin colour.
Yes, people should be encouraged to apply but should not be chosen for skin colour or ethnic background or the validity of “Irish jobs for Irish people” becomes equally valid. I stress I am in favour of diversification and equality but believe this is best achieved with EQUAL opportunity and not discrimination.
@Black Irish lives matter: if you look closely into quotas you will see that it did not prove to work. Would you like your children teacher to be in this position because of their education, experience etc or because of the color of their skin?
@Brynþór Patrekursson: Yep, aiming for diversity is a good thing but it should be done by removing the obstacles in the way of talented people getting qualified and being considered for roles, not by just giving the roles to someone because they fit the racial or gender profile you’re looking for. Unfortunately, politicians who only see as far as the next election tend to go for the quick point-scoring fix.
@Black Irish lives matter: All lives matter
@A -AFC: and obviously you wouldn’t be if ability to write in English was part of the job description.
@Garret Fawl: did you read the article? Varadkar specifically said it wasn’t about quotas. There’s a massive difference between quotas and what he suggested, recruitment campaigns and setting targets.
@Peter Denham: you’re right, Finland is Nordic but not Scandinavian; Denmark which is Scandinavian comes in at number two. The five Nordic countries, three of which are Scandinavian, are ranked in the top seven of happiest countries in the world.
@EillieEs: I may be mistaken, but I am fairly sure the article mentioned quotas, thhnk the journal changed it. I would not have reacted to targets in the same way.
@Black Irish lives matter: Change the system and make equality that position. There is no such thing as Positive Discrimination and that’s what quotas are.
I want the best person in the job not the 10th best because of a quota.
That creates the rush to the bottom, if being the best is not a requirement to fill a position.
This shouldn’t be a shock to Leo but our country ‘is very white’.
@Alan McArdle: yes but it is also made up of black and brown Irish people who are not being represented in most areas of society. How hard is that to understand?
@Black Irish lives matter: I would love to represent white people in Nigeria with a nice salary but they wont just give me the job. They said I must work for it. So I am.
@Black Irish lives matter: You gain employment based on your qualifications, experience and most likely an interview. Racial quotas are rubbish and disadvantage white people, remember them, the overwhelming majority of our population.
@Roger Paltry: and yet to this very day there are employers that will not even employ women because… And I quote… “sure she’ll be pregnant in no time”.
Equality doesn’t exist in Ireland between the sexes, how the hell can it exist between races?
Quotas do work, they work in plenty of other country’s like Iceland.
@Vladimir Macro: Average civil service salary is equivalent to 150 Euro a month in Nigeria, often much less. Competition for jobs in public and private sector there is fierce, with one civil service role advertised recently attracting 40,000 applicants. Nigerians place great emphasis on a high standard of education and being a non graduate of a University there is practically unheard of. Unemployment rate is high though at over 35%. Best of luck.
@Barry: It sounds ideal alright, stop the Paddy bashing and do something of use in your community.
@Roger Paltry: If there’s a racial quota then only the people of colour with the best qualifications and experience will get those jobs. So what’s the problem?
@Niall Byrne: Have you considered a scenario where there might be a white Irish person better qualified for the job, I didn’t think so, right on bro.
@Roger Paltry: Define “better qualified” and we’ll have a discussion after that.
@Alan McArdle: What else could you expect from sockey
@Niall Byrne: This article seems to be referring to Senior positions, where experience and qualifications would be necessary. We have a Gardai commissioner that is an ex senior member of the PSNI, seems to have got it on merit, where 30 years ago that would have been unheard of. Quotas at clerical and lower levels seem reasonable but senior positions I would be vehemently against.
@Black Irish lives matter: So change it, join the political parties, the unions etc. become active in the community the entire community.
@Niall Byrne: That’s called discrimination.
The country is very white? Not a surprise the civil service is? It would be nice to have some proper statistics rather than an emotional statement from the Taoiseach? I think the very fact the leader of the country is mixed race and gay shows that race or sexual orientation is not an impediment to success?
@Thomas Harrington: When we hear the Taoiseach saying such things as “the civil service is very white” that has to be one of the stupidest statements among many he’s come out with. Had it been said of a country like Britain or America it would be understandable but Ireland’s population was, until quite recently, almost exclusively caucasian, that is white. Of course it’s civil service
If the Taoiseach was saying there was instances of people of colour or ethnic minorities being denied jobs or access to education that’d be a very different story, but there isn’t. Everyone has the same access, the same opportunity, the doors are there for everyone to pass through, it’s up to each individual, black, white, male or female to chose which door to pass through. It’s a level playing field, everyone has an equal opportunity.
If the Taoiseach were to say “step this way” sir or madam and usher them through a VIP door based on quotas he’d alter the playing field, the outcome would no longer be fair or based upon equal opportunity.
You could have three people apply for two job vacancies, two of them are world class and one is a complete idiot but you can only hire one of the world class candidates, because of quotas you’re compelled to hire the idiot. No big deal if we’re talking about politicians, you think. What if they’re surgeons, and you need an operation, or pilots, or engineers designing a bridge?
@Arch Angel: not sure why your post is in response to mine? We are essentially in agreement – of course Leo tends to swim with the prevailing mood – he is a politician – I’m sure the minions in data analysis will see how this kite flew and then advise not to proceed with anymore comments on same.
You hire people based on merits, not race.
@Seriousnojoke: yes! As a woman I have a grip against gender quotas, this will be the same. It is the best and most qualified person for the job, not their gender or race
So if a suitable candidate is not selected for a position purely based on their skin colour being white isn’t that in itself racist?
@Greg Daniel: it is called positive discrimination, which is a clever way of saying that white skinned Irish will be discriminated against when applying for racial quota jobs and posts which is only one step away from “no white Irish need apply” – I am most certainly in favour of equality but do not believe this is the correct way in most cases.
@Greg Daniel: Jobs are oversubscribed with “suitable candidates”. Suitable candidates lose out most of the time anyway, because the interviewer wasn’t from their county, didn’t have a similar personality, didn’t like the cut of their jib, etc. Most office jobs a monkey could do – you don’t need “the best of the best”, just someone who passes a minimum threshold, which most candidates do anyway. People are picked for jobs for bullshit personal reasons anyway. Quotas won’t diminish quality in the public sector one iota. Save the “best of the best” crap for sports.
@Niall Byrne: monkey is a racist term you know.
@Greg Daniel: To you maybe. You would know more about that than I.
@Niall Byrne: is this you Eamon? Do I say not as I do? Hypocrite.
@Greg Daniel: ‘ha? Inglese par favore.
@Niall Byrne: MAybe you pick staff for bullshit reasons but I never did no matter what the job was. There are loads of issues to be taken into account
Terrible idea. Recruit people on the merit of qualifications and talent not the colour of their skin. To do so is actually positive discrimination and an appalling way to treat people
@Alan: I assume you’d have been in favour of keeping the PSNI as 90% Protestant then.
How about just Recruiting the best and brightest and not looking at the rainbow effect.
Yes Leo. It’s because we usually don’t get any bleein’ sun (apart from this year when we couldn’t leave the house)
“is very white”, that’s racist. Or intolerant. No it’s a hate crime, or is it a microaggression.
@NotaWarder: I presume if I say Nigeria ‘is very black’ my comment will be deleted
@Raymond Tom: Sad to see that such a comment gets 189 upvotes. The last week has shown that Ireland is a racist country. We pretend we’re “victims of colonialism” and whatnot but we’re just as racist as other white Europeans, maybe moreso to try and pretend we’re as good as our anglo-saxon dominators. We’ve more experience of other countries struggles with integration to try and make it work better here but the signs are that dumbness will prevail – ’tis the Irish way.
@Niall Byrne: everyone is a racist because they didnt ignore the pandemic and burn down their local supermarket?
@Garret Fawl: parle inglese please senor. me no understand stupido.
@Niall Byrne: you’ve obviously drank too much lefty coolaid, I understand, you’re not the only one.
A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. J.R.R Tolkien. Sorry Leo, I’m bored, in a devilish mood and just felt like ruining your next big speech. Jeez, I really crack me up sometimes ..
I knew race quotas were only matter of time. The identity politics of illiberal progressives knows no shame. Look how crazy it has got in the UK
Best person for the job should always get the job. Regardless of sex , religion or race.
@Damien Gill: Who decides who’s best?
@Niall Byrne: have a read of https://www.cpsa.ie/codes-of-practice/what-are-the-codes/ already fair standards set out for appointment to the public service
@Damien Gill: If you believe that’s what’s adhered to in Ireland you’re an awful fool. I didn’t come off the boat yesterday you know!
@Niall Byrne: if you did Leo might give you the job.
Once again the black population of Ireland is 1.4% how many are citizens I don’t know
Very white? What does that even mean? Does that have racist overtones or is it just that I’m taking him up wrong! Pidgeon holing people into their individual skin colouring to me in itself, particularly when talking about being put into an array of differing positions is a racially and divisive narrative to be used, least of all from a supposed political leader! No matter what the position, task or job, people should be afforded them on their own merits, and given every opportunity to do so, certainly not on the colour of their skin.
@Niall Binéad: It means that Ireland’s civil service positions are mostly, if not fully, occupied by white people. There are definitely no racist overtones. What most people, and Leo included, want to see is a representative civil service. For example, in areas with a higher proportion of people from different ethnic backgrounds, those people should be proportionally represented in civil service positions. Black people and other people of colour need to see themselves represented. And not only that, having more diversity in the workplace has been proven over and over to enhance and enrich the work environment.
@Daniel O Sullivan: get over yourself! I don’t give two f##ks what colour, creed or sexual orientation they come from, as long as they’re capable and doing the job at hand! If we’re all equal, we’re all equal, how is that so hard to understand?
@Daniel O Sullivan: So give people jobs because of the race, that’s racist, simple as that.The civil service is not fully staffed with white Irish people either, nor is the semi state sector
Varadkar is the first POC Taoiseach. He definitely didn’t get the job on merit ……
Targets? When did people become numbers?
No Irish need apply.
Oh here we go… Clown world
Targets? Are these people we’re talking about or freaking numbers?
How about positive discrimination in favour of those from underprivileged areas of the country? To borrow a phrase from the right – “trickle down economics” could work wonders there.
As a serving civil servant I welcome the idea. In fact I am surprised it hasn’t been a policy before now. Several studies have shown that diversity can bring a richness on so many levels to the workplace.
South Africa all over again.
Tut tut
Really positive news.
@Black Irish lives matter: Troll
@Black Irish lives matter: I don’t want equality when it comes to health care…I want the best healhcare …regardless of the colour/ethnicity/sexual orientation/religion etc of the people delivering it….I don’t want second best healthcare do some quota or percentage can be met.
It would be interesting to know a person of colour and and a white Irish person went for the same job, who would get it. I reckon in spite of who was better qualified it more often than not would go the way of the white person. Maybe not directly racist but a case of thinking they know what they’re getting from the white Irish person
@Cathal Keeshan: you could say the same for an Irish and an Australian going for same job in either Sydney or Dublin. It’s not always to do with the colour of the skin.
@Greg Daniel: I’d say if an Australian and a Nigerian with the same qualifications and experience went for a job interview in Ireland the Australian would get it. The employer would assume the Australian would “fit in better” with the company culture. We can pretend otherwise all we want.
@Niall Byrne: and what would you say if the same Australian and Nigerian went for a job interview in an African country?
Would we pretend anything otherwise about the outcome?
@Greg Daniel: I would say that (a) it’s extremely unlikely a white Australian would be going for a standard office job interview in an African country (b) that in some African countries the bias would be for the Australian rather than the Nigerian [Africa is not one big country you know - inter-African prejudice exists!!!!] and (c) it’s immaterial to the problems facing our country today so you bringing it up is about you retreating from the question.
@Niall Byrne: hold on, are you saying non-white people are also racist?
@Greg Daniel: No, I’m saying some African people are racist. Why would you assume I meant all African people are racist?
What color does Leo describe himself?
I think this is a fantastic idea. A lot needs to change in education if targets like this are to be met.
@Alice Collins: 90 percent of Primary teachers are female, should this change with quotas?
@Garret Fawl: I think there most definitely should be more males in teaching also. Primary seems to be less attractive to them than secondary so this should be addressed also.
@Alice Collins: some might say, all things equal, women are more inclined to want to work with children.
@Alice Collins: 98% of bin collectors are men, do you think this needs to change with quotas? I think this needs to be addressed. Why is it men are in more of the unskilled Labour intensive roles in Ireland and the jobs with extra long hours and time away from home like truck drivers but their is no clamour for gender quotas there? But we need gender quotas in university top positions, politics and a lot of other nice clean high paid jobs?
While people should be hired based on their ‘fit for the role’ rather than ethnic background, Ireland definitely needs to push to increase diversity. There’s no doubt that there are many people from diverse ethnic backgrounds that are very capable of doing civil service jobs, but for whatever reason(s) they’re not applying or being hired in those positions. It’s really important to increase diversity so that it’s not just white people in every public position. Black people and other people of colour need to see representation. This is especially important in the Gardai and education sector, both of which are almost 100% white and that doesn’t reflect the actual diversity in Ireland.
Do you think Varadkar knows he’s the most hated Taoiseach we’ve ever had? Or that we know he’s also the worst?
Strengthening requirements around recruitment to ensure any potential bias is taken out of the equation, Yes. Constantly addressing demographic deficits, a resounding Yes! Targets, oh please No!
This is a terrible move, I come from South Africa and this is poison. Once you start with this it doesn’t stop, society becomes more polarized and people view each other through that narrow lense of race. Everything gets more toxic.
@Shannon butler: I was in South Africa and a senior politician me told what was happening and he hoped it would settle down in 10 years, that was 20 years ago and it has not. Look what happened in Zimbabwe
Let’s just call it what it is, the discrimination of white people. We should never choose people by their colour, that’s actually racism.
Fix the basics first!
I have never seen a black Garda or a black TD or a black councillor. On the bus in the morning into Dublin city centre you will see hardly any black people commuting in to work in an office. They seem mostly to work as taxi drivers or in niche retail areas. There is something wrong in that. Ireland has a serious problem of integration and if it doesn’t do something about it we will create ghettos and a divided society. For that reason I would support quotas in the public sector. It has to start somewhere and the public sector can set an example. The Irish bought into America because they became prominent in policing and politics. People say “promote on merit” but most Irish small business owners given a choice of an Irish person or a Nigerian person for a job will instinctively go with the Irish person because they will “fit in better”, yet the same people would never consider themselves racist and probably subscribe to all the trendy causes. Yes, quotas are needed once they are proportionate.
@Niall Byrne: you seem mightily concerned about the colour of people’s skin. You might be better off if you just look at people for who they are whether they be Garda, Councillors or TD’s.
@Greg Daniel: Ever hear of a thing called a “Dogwhistle”, Greg. I think you and your uptickers know all about it though. WOOF WOOF!!!!
English are much more diverse than Irish by miles less racist.and uk government has always been are more pro peoples they value peope of ethnic minority n give them more opportunities so in the result you can see in uk more police,business ma,doctors nurses,bus driver,lists goes on and on you can just name it.there is big gap in Irish people and between ethnic minorities I find it there is trust issue. So until unless you dont adress this issue then your country wont prosper in the economic future
@being Ash: Using the English as an example of diversity is the funniest thing I have ever heard. Go read some history books and learn about their diversity. Look at Brexit, Windrush etc
Diversity always means one thing,less white people.
Tokenism at it’s worst, rather than deal with the issue. They will have quotas.
have your say