Minister Sean Fleming claims he understands people are struggling as he apologises again for ‘out of touch’ cost of living comments

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Junior Minister Sean Fleming has said he understands people are struggling with the cost of living and has again apologised for “out of touch” comments he made on the crisis. The Fianna Fáil politician previously said people should shop around instead of “complaining” about the rising cost of living. 

In a radio interview he urged people to shop around and switch heat, electricity or gas providers as well as their local supermarket.

Speaking today on RTÉ Radio One to presenter Philip Boucher Hayes, Mr Fleming said: “I understand how difficult everyone is finding it financially, especially with the high level of inflation we are now experiencing that we haven’t had for a number of years.

“What I had intended to say and I issued a clear cut apology was I intended to have to make my remarks at politicians who were complaining about inaction by the Government and I misused my words on the day and I apologise.”

Appearing on the same show, Sinn Féin TD Sorch Clarke said the comments are a reflection of “tone-deafness”. 

“That’s not actually what came out of your mouth, I do accept you made an apology,” she said.

“What people heard was ‘this isn’t our responsibility, it’s entirely on you, nothing to do with us’.

“It’s not, in theory, the worst advice but it was the timing of it and it was the failure to recognise the impact that government is having on that cost of living.

“It’s a reflection of tone deafness that’s coming from Government. It simply fails to understand or grasp the stresses, the pressure and the anxiety that’s out there in the wider community because of this cost of living.

“We shouldn’t have people going to illegal money lenders to pay their ESB bill but that’s what’s happening, and these are families that would’ve never been in this situation before.”

Labour TD Duncan Smith said Mr Fleming’s comments showed how “divorced from reality” the Government is.

“This isn’t about shopping around to save a few bob here and there, all heating costs and electricity costs and utility costs are through the roof, no matter who the provider is.”

Mr Smith said many people cannot afford health insurance “of any kind” and the minister does not “understand the depth of the situation”.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said Mr Fleming’s comments were “absolutely shocking”.

“It shows a Government on a totally different planet to the one that huge numbers of people in this country are absolutely crucified and impoverished with the rise in cost of living,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said that the comments were “insulting and out of touch”.

He added that Mr Fleming “has had months to respond to the cost of living crisis facing workers and ­families”.