Budget needs to include cost-of-living measures
His remarks come after the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said one-off cost-of-living measures would not be included in this year's Budget.
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However, Mr Doherty said the Government needs to deliver a cost-of-living Budget, saying the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and other ministers "believe the cost-of-living crisis is over and it's not".
He said the Government "doesn't understand the overall pressure that is on families".
"If you take energy, for example, of course any reduction in VAT and energy is welcome," he said, adding "it needs to be extended, but it's not enough".
"There are 400,000 people in this State that are behind, either in their electricity bill or in their gas bill," he said.
"That's increasing," Mr Doherty said, adding it "needs to be dealt with".
He added: "Therefore, energy credits have to be part of this year's Budget."
"Families are feeling the pressure and the Government needs to get with it," he said.
"They need to deliver a cost-of-living Budget," he added.
Mr Doherty said the Taoiseach was using US President Donald Trump as a reason why there will be no cost-of-living package in the Budget.
"If Donald Trump came up this morning and tweeted saying that there's going to be no tariffs, the Taoiseach still wouldn't deliver a cost-of-living budget," he said.
"This is a policy decision from the Government," he added.
Mr Doherty said the State would still record "a surplus of €6 billion" if the a cost-of-living budget was provided this year with one-off measures.
"We can do this, we can afford this," he said.
"The question is why is the Government is leaving so many families high and dry?" he added.
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