Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s candidate for Dublin\nSouth West, Se\u00e1n Crowe, has called Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s election manifesto, which was\nlaunched this week, as a manifesto for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Se\u00e1n Crowe said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a manifesto for change. It is a manifesto to give workers and families a break, to put money back in people’s pockets and to fix the health and housing crises.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cIt is a manifesto that sets out Sinn F\u00e9in commitment to working for Irish Unity and sets out a pathway towards reunification.<\/p>
\u201cThe solutions contained in this manifesto are progressive and positive, uplifting and fair; they are modern and they are achievable.<\/p>
\u201cThis is a manifesto that seeks to give back to the people whose hard work and effort created the economic recovery by putting money back in their pockets.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cIt is a manifesto that will use the economic recovery to deliver better health services, better education services and better transport services, and that prioritises investing in frontline staff including doctors, nurses, teachers and Garda\u00ed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cSinn F\u00e9in has put housing at the centre of our manifesto. We will take on the housing crisis and we will solve it.<\/p>
\u201cThe single biggest failure of Fine Gael in government, supported by Fianna F\u00e1il, is that rents are too high, Council house waiting lists are too long and there is no affordable accommodation.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cA whole generation of young people are now locked out of homeownership, thinking about emigrating and moving back in with their parents in their thirties.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cSinn F\u00e9in will deliver the biggest public housing programme in our history, and we will cut rents and freeze them.\u00a0 We will ensure that affordable housing is available and really affordable to people, and we will end the scandal of homelessness.<\/p>
\u201cWe will also stop the pension age increase to 67 and will return it to 65. Returning the retirement age to 65 is affordable. The cost of implementing this will be \u20ac368 million per year and this will be paid from the Social Insurance Fund which has surplus of \u20ac1.4 billion.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Crowe continued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur manifesto has been costed by the relevant government Departments and is affordable and will be delivered. There will be no borrowing necessary. In fact, we will run surpluses and have a surplus of more than \u20ac3 billion in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cAll taxpayers who earn under \u20ac100,000 will see a decrease in their tax of up to \u20ac700 a year.<\/p>
\u201cThere is no party more ambitious for workers, for families, or for Irish society than Sinn F\u00e9in.<\/p>
\u201cThis election is about choices. People are looking for solutions. They are looking for change. They are looking for something new from government.<\/p>
\u201cSinn F\u00e9in has the solutions.\u00a0 Now we need the chance. I am calling on people to vote for me and Sinn F\u00e9in on Saturday 8 February.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
ENDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n