'Don't you dare lecture me' - Martin and McDonald clash in Dáil over cost of living and housing

There have been tense clashes in the Dáil over the rising cost of living and housing. Opposition parties say inflation is out of control and the Government isn't doing enough to control the rising cost of fuel, food and rent. The Taoiseach has insisted budget interventions on income tax and raising social welfare rates were designed to ease the burden. However, Minister Eamon Ryan has said they may need to go beyond the €100 energy voucher being given to all households to address spiralling costs. In the Dáil this afternoon, Taoiseach Micheál Martin clashed with Mary Lou McDonald after she said he doesn't understand how people are suffering. The Sinn Féin leader said: “Don’t you dare to talk to me about false narratives or claim you understand the crisis - you clearly don’t. “I’ve told you two things you can do that will work: money back into renters’ pockets by way of a tax rebate, and a freeze for three years on rents. "Do that, and then we might believe - and more importantly generation rent might believe - that you finally get it.” Responding to Deputy McDonald, Mr Martin accused Sinn Féin of putting forward proposals on “lacking depth and substance”. He said: “Don’t you dare lecture me - I understand the realities of life as well as anybody else in this House. “I know a thing or two about people being in difficulty… in terms of the cost of living. “I’m saying to you the most comprehensive solutions that have ever been tried have been adopted by this Government in Housing for All.” He claimed Sinn Féin was engaging in “both sides of their mouth” behaviour, and claimed the party was 'exploiting a crisis for their own electoral gain'. Amid objections from Sinn Féin TDs to the Taoiseach comments, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl urged TDs to stop trying to “frustrating the House by constantly heckling”.