The Labour Party has called on the Government to give families three €100 vouchers for each child that can be spent on groceries over the winter. 

The benefit would be in addition to child benefit, which is typically paid at a monthly rate of €140 per child. 

Dublin Central TD Marie Sherlock described the current economic environment as “deeply worrying”, noting that many families are struggling with the cost of living.

On The Claire Byrne Show, she said that she is often contacted by low and middle income constituents who feel they are “falling behind”.  

“We've had months now of elevated oil and gas prices - that is going to feed into food prices over the coming months,” she predicted. 

“Already inflation is outpacing people's wage increases, so it's very clear to us that we need a comprehensive package, that the country and families out there need a comprehensive package in this upcoming budget.”

Deputy Sherlock continued that the Labour Party believes that the “key priority”in the upcoming budget should be low income families. 

“The Government has talked for years about this second tier child benefit payment,” she said. 

“It's clear we need to change a Government for that because you need social welfare and revenue commissioners to talk to each other, their systems to talk to each other to actually deliver on that piece of work. 

“In the absence of that, right, then we need to do something this winter.”

Deputy Sherlock added that food is usually a family’s biggest expense, after housing costs and noted that the Government has “extremely healthy public finances” at the moment. 

“The Labour Party is not in Government,” she said. 

“If we were in Government, we would be putting the changes in place to ensure that you would have that targeted support to low income families. 

“But I'm a realist, we're not in Government; this is this winter, families can't wait around for two or three years to the next General Election.”

Main image: A family out shopping for food. Picture by: Alamy.com.