James Browne: Warns on Rising Costs and Calls for Unity
James Browne addressed the Dáil today on the impact of global political uncertainty and its immediate effect on household costs, from food to fuel. He urged colleagues to work together to protect the state, safeguard jobs and ensure sustainable government responses to these shocks.
James Browne set out how events such as the war in Iran, the conflict in Ukraine, Brexit and Covid continue to place pressure on an open Irish economy. He emphasised that international crises can quickly translate into higher everyday costs for families and businesses.
Browne argued the government was elected to manage these impacts and must act responsibly, balancing immediate supports with long-term sustainability. He highlighted priorities including protecting jobs, funding essential services, delivering secure housing and investing to reduce costs for ordinary people.
He thanked local authorities and emergency services for stepping up in recent difficult weeks and specifically addressed the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Count Corail, to acknowledge their efforts. Browne stressed the need for unity in the Dáil to protect the state and its people effectively.
Global shocks and household impact
James Browne set out how events such as the war in Iran, the conflict in Ukraine, Brexit and Covid continue to place pressure on an open Irish economy. He emphasised that international crises can quickly translate into higher everyday costs for families and businesses.
Government responsibility and sustainable action
Browne argued the government was elected to manage these impacts and must act responsibly, balancing immediate supports with long-term sustainability. He highlighted priorities including protecting jobs, funding essential services, delivering secure housing and investing to reduce costs for ordinary people.
Local response and acknowledgements
He thanked local authorities and emergency services for stepping up in recent difficult weeks and specifically addressed the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Count Corail, to acknowledge their efforts. Browne stressed the need for unity in the Dáil to protect the state and its people effectively.
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Transcript
Thank you very much Ciann Comhairle and I welcome this discussion today and indeed the opportunity to speak in full confidence in this government and its leadership. And there is no doubt that this Dáil and every single one of us here, all of us elected representatives, are experiencing in our constituencies the impact of global political uncertainty on real people, families and businesses. Events that seem so far away geographically have a very immediate impact on everyday costs for people from food to fuel, the very basics. I think we can all acknowledge that this is a deeply challenging period but it's also a period that demands that we work together in this house rather than against each other to ensure we protect this state and our people to the best of our ability. If we ever needed reminding as to our status as an open economy on the edge of Europe, the war in Iran has once again confirmed this for us all, even after Ukraine, Brexit and Covid. This government has been elected with the task of managing these impacts and being responsible in our response to them as they arise, but also with an eye to how each and every action and measure we take have consequences. We have to manage as elected representatives the impact of rising oil prices, the need to act robustly to protect jobs and futures, to ensure we fund our key services and supports, deliver safe and secure housing for our people and investing proactively, sustainably to get costs down for ordinary people. That is our job, it is one each of us has elected to do and to take seriously. We have the resources, it is due to the stewardship of our country by this government and indeed by previous governments that we have been in a position to act and act decisively with financial supports. Our state has experienced the effects of global wars both in Ukraine and on the edge of Europe and the war in Iran and indeed a pandemic over the last five years which have in turn placed systemic pressures on how we do business. This government has responded and responded robustly but must do so in a sustainable way. Can I just say to Count Corail as Minister for Housing and Local Government, can I thank our fire services and our local authorities who stepped up in very difficult circumstances over the last couple of weeks. Thank you Count Corail.