Families forced to choose between eating and staying warm, cost-of-living protest told

People are being forced to choose between feeding their families or turning on the heat in their homes, a cost-of-living protest in Dublin was told.A number of trade unions and political parties marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Leinster House on Saturday afternoon. Siptu, Fórsa, Unite, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ), the Irish Wheelchair Association, People Before Profit-Solidarity, Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats were among those who took part in the demonstration. “People across this country are literally struggling to put food on the table, and that is quite shocking,” Rory Hearne, Social Democrats TD for Dublin North-West, told the crowd.READ MORE“There are people in this city, across the country, who are literally choosing between ‘do I turn on the lights, do I turn on the heat, or do I put food on the table for myself or my children?’.”Hearne said it was “deeply wrong” that so many people are struggling to get by in a country that has “massive wealth”.Many speakers discussed the ever-increasing cost of housing. Protester Brian Delahanty (34) from Kilkenny said housing was the biggest issue facing many young people in Ireland. Photo: Órla Ryan Protester Brian Delahanty (34) from Kilkenny said housing was the biggest issue facing most people his age. “If you told me 15 years ago that someone from Donegal will be commuting to Dublin for college, that’s absurd,” he said.Delahanty said, when he was a college student in 2012, he paid about €150 per month for a double room in Cork.“If I wanted that same room – and it’s the same house, I’ve seen it recently – it’s €1,200 (per month). Have wages kept up with that? Have the student grants kept up with that? That’s nearly a tenfold increase, it’s insane."AMLÉ president Daniel Walsh said many students “were commuting hours a day, dropping out, going hungry to lectures”.“It’s cruel to see ordinary people up and down the country struggling every single day to make ends meet, asking for the barest relief from the cost-of-living crisis that’s destroying lives.”“Even people with good wages can’t afford to rent," Manuelle Ratte said. Photo: Órla Ryan Manuelle Ratte (53), a French woman who has lived in Dublin for 26 years, said the cost of rent was her biggest concern. “Even people with good wages can’t afford to rent,” she said.Ratte, who works as a clerical officer with the HSE, said it is “really difficult” to live in Dublin unless you have a salary of at least €80,000.She said she attended similar protests ahead of previous budgets but “nothing really changed”.Katie Morgan, Fórsa’s deputy general secretary, said: “People across this country are being pushed to the limit. This is happening to people who are working hard, doing their best, doing everything right, and still finding that their pay doesn’t stretch far enough. “Energy bills are rising, fuel prices remain high, fuel costs are sky high and rents keep climbing. And the outlook for the months ahead, unfortunately, is deeply worrying.”Morgan said thousands of workers in the public sector “have made the difficult decision to take industrial action” later this month and next month. “They are taking action because pay must keep pace with the real cost of living.”Paddy Cole, Siptu sector organiser, attended the protest with his sons Jamie (8) and Charlie (5). Photo: Órla Ryan Paddy Cole, Siptu sector organiser, said it was “quite clear that the Government aren’t doing enough on the cost of living”.“Every third week of the month, people are looking over their shoulder when the bill is going to drop. I’ve kids back in school now the last couple of weeks . . . it’s very difficult.”Cole said “tokenistic tax cuts of a tenner in your back pocket every week” doesn’t “go far”.He called on the Government to introduce more targeted energy supports, free public transport and a living wage for workers.