Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has said that the results from the recent bye elections have clearly illustrated that the Government parties and Fianna Fáil are out of touch with the electorate.

Crowe said that water charge solutions were now needed, not simple slogans. He welcomed indications that there will be some relief for those on low incomes, but reiterated his parties’ view that this regressive tax needs to be scrapped.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The government has previously suggested that a neutral budget was required to reach the 3% deficit target tomorrow.

“However, Sinn Féin believed that there would be further scope and that has proven to be the case.

“The figures released by the government at midnight on Friday show that without any policy change at all the deficit would come in at 2.4% in 2015, which is much lower than the required 3%.

“These figures suggest that the government is exceeding its target by over €1 billion.

“Sinn Féin has shown how water charges could be scrapped with a neutral budget. This additional leeway must be used to ease the burden on hard pressed families and invest in public services. The first item on the agenda should be the scrapping of the water charges.

“The government would have us believe that scrapping water charges are not an option but these figures prove them wrong once again.

“The results from the recent bye elections clearly illustrated that the Government parties and Fianna Fáil are out of touch with the electorate. My party colleague, and anti-water charges candidate, Cathal King, topped the poll in Dublin South West.

“Anti-water charges candidates received 57% of the vote while the combined vote of Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil was only 27% of the votes cast.

“Sinn Féin has continually said that politics is about choices and that there is a responsibility on politicians to come up with workable solutions. If we were in government we would choose to get rid of the unjust water charges and the property tax.

“Solutions to water charges are needed, not simple slogans, and our alternative budget submission identifies ways of dealing with this.

“I do welcome indications that there will be some relief for those on low incomes, but my parties view is that that this regressive tax needs to be scrapped. Sinn Féin is calling on people to not only protest but to also support our plans to scrap this unfair charge.”

ENDS