Miss Ritchie said the report issued earlier this week by the Consumer Council Northern Ireland provides instructive evidence that prices in food have substantially increased in Northern Ireland at a time when local communities have less money to purchase essential commodities such as food.
She added: "At the same time, Government persists in undertaking cost cutting measures in social security benefits, and pension entitlements. Alongside this, there is also the constant threat to public sector salaries, and job losses in the private sector including the closure of retail outlets and the near collapse of the construction industry.
Comment: "usually temporarily"?
Oh boy, it's going to be an interesting year!
Clearly we are now in a situation that is anything but 'usual'. With rising food prices globally and continuous weather extremes destroying crops, it is a matter of when, not if, sky-rocketing food prices result in mass social breakdown.