VOX POP: Cost of Living Crisis

Síofra Grant

The Central Statistics Office Consumer Price Index figures released in January show a rise of 2.8% in the cost of goods and services in the 12 months up to December 2025. The rate of inflation has moderated but the cost of living crisis is a constant topic of conversation, and the Westmeath Examiner asked people on the streets of Mullingar for their thoughts and experiences of it.

Gabrielle Geraghty, was leaving the shops and explained her perspective on the ever raising costs of goods in Ireland. “You have to be careful what you’re buying and watching how much extra everything is,” she said.

Asked asked about what she has noticed most, Gabrielle said: “Everything, really. I mainly do online shopping so you get a delivery and you can see each month it’s going up €10, €15. And just even the price of biscuits may have been a euro, now it’s €1.50.”

Maggie McDonagh and Ellie May McGregor feel the same. “Prices have obviously gone up and it keeps going up a lot,” said Maggie.

“Like, a few years ago, going into Dunnes with €50 would get you a load of stuff. Now you’d be lucky to get about 10 items out of it now because everything’s gone up.

“And when you get rises, it’s only like two or three euro a day, but everything goes up by two or three euro, so it’s really not worth doing.”

John Fitzgerald and Tessa Matthews believe the government should be doing more to combat rising costs. “Everything is up and nothing is down,” says Tessa, “Really everything has gone up. Like you’re looking for bargains but you can’t get them. And it’s really the government that’s to blame because they do not care.”

John agrees: “This week only SuperValu has any bargains, you know and no one cares, like they’re not putting the prices up and they’re not attracting anyone.”

“I always come to Dunnes,” continued Tessa. “It’s because of the vouchers, I know they’re a help but like there is nothing going down. Absolutely nothing.”

Daniel Egerton said some of the staples have gone up most in cost. “The thing I’ve noticed the most is butter and beef. Beef has gone up crazy, in the last year even. I used to get two steaks for €8, now I think it’s gone up to €13, which is a crazy increase.” Daniel is in the same mind as John and Tessa, and when asked if he thinks the government have done enough to prevent the increase of prices he said: “No, absolutely not. It’s price gouging, it doesn’t match up with inflation. There’s a kind of cynicism about it, they have the power to do something about it but they’re not exercising that power.

“I don’t know who’s friends with who in the government up there but it seems to be that they’re doing whatever they can to benefit from each other and not benefit regular people.” Daniel also thinks that the Mercosur deal may have something to do with the rising costs of beef. “I know there’s issues with cattle farmers at the moment, and that’s another thing that’s probably causing that rise in price, but everything seems to be going up, and up, and up.”

For Emilia Nascimento, the issue is widespread. “I think it’s an international thing. More so, I don’t know if they can do anything else.

“I don’t drink milk but I know people complain about milk, but also basic things like fruit and vegetables have become higher.”

Emma Molloy is one of the many who has seen the cost of living crisis affect the people around her deeply, especially regarding housing. “In general, it’s on the rise. What you used to be able to put away, you’re using. So we’re not going on a family holiday this year, not because I can’t afford it, but because I want that nest egg. There’s no nest egg any more because you’re paying bills and paying bills and paying bills and paying bills.

“It’s ok but if I was getting the wage I’m getting now 10 years ago, sure, I would have been able to do so much more with it you know, and luckily enough we’re in a house, we have a mortgage. My group of friends, I’m 36 now, and the majority of them don’t have a house yet. And the number of kids in hotels. I have three kids and a few of their friends are in emergency accommodation. How do you live like that?”