Working families across County Mayo are being pushed into financial insecurity despite being in full-time employment, as the rising costs of childcare, housing, and inflation continue to outpace wages. Cllr Barrett said that while people are working, paying tax and contributing to the economy, many are no longer able to afford basic necessities. “For a working couple or a lone parent, these costs alone can swallow most of their income,” Cllr Barrett said. These areas, Cllr Barrett said, are broadly holding their own, with stable populations, access to infrastructure and incomes close to the national average. Cllr Barrett believes that this issue is not being adequately addressed at the national level, with too much emphasis placed on headline economic growth.

Source: Irish Independent January 08, 2026 00:04 UTC