Tipp General Election candidate says 'Greens focus on long-term cost of living'

General Election candidate Iva Pocock has said that the Greens offer people short-term help with their bills but, unlike other parties, are dedicated to permanently reducing the cost of living in the long term.

“I’ve heard many difficult stories on the doorsteps about the cost-of-living especially from couples who are working in what would always have been considered good jobs,” said Pocock.

“In our time in Government we have rolled out seven electricity credits with another two to come this winter. That’s the sort of short-term help that has helped families.

“But what makes us different from other parties is that we also focus on helping people to reduce their bills in the long-term.

“The Greens introduced the most generous home retrofit grants in Europe. I’ve met people all over North Tipp in both private and social homes who are delighted with their retrofit and the comfort and savings it brings. The thing about a retrofit is that it ensures slashed fuel bills forever. I want everyone in North Tipp to be able to live in a warm, low-cost home.

“The Greens will continue to help families to permanently cut their fuel bills by putting free solar panels on the homes of 200,000 low-income families and expanding the roll-out of free-retrofits. We will introduce an equity release scheme for retrofitting for older people. We will build on the remarkably successful pilot Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme, enabling healthcare professionals to designate households for free energy-efficiency upgrades on health grounds.

“When it comes to transport I am proud of what the Greens have delivered so far. We have transformed rural public transport and cut public transport fares for the first time in the history of the State. By 60% for young people, 20% for adults, and now under 9s go free and we’ve a Universal Companion Pass for all over 70s.

“Over 100,000 people now travel by Local Link every week. If elected I will campaign to build on the services we now have in the constituency and I will push for the planned two-hourly service on the Nenagh train line to start asap. The Greens will continue cutting public transport costs through the introduction of a ‘Climate Ticket’ that will replace the existing Tax Saver ticket and offer greater savings and flexibility for hybrid workers.

“The Greens are the only political party who are really focused on the long-term. We make policy changes that benefit people’s daily lives and tackle the climate crisis too."