Fine Gael/Labour proposals will lead to higher costs and higher
unemployment
Tallaght based Seán Crowe TD accused the new Fine Gael/ Labour Government of using rejigged and failed policies of the last outgoing administration and failing those who voted for change. Crowe speaking today while distributing his party’ budget proposals said that Governments budget proposals will be full of holes,election u turns and will create havoc in low and middle income families.
Deputy Crowe said:
“This government is continuing on the path of the last Adminitration and making the wrong choices for recovery.. At every turn it has backtracked on election pledges and continued the failed policies economic policies of the previous government.
“In 2009, in Brian Lenihan admitted that the VAT increases he introduced were completely counterproductive and resulted in a loss of revenue to business. Two years deeper into an economic downturn, this Fine Gael /Labour government again is considering an increase in VAT, which will result in job losses and higher cost to consumers.
“Taken with the proposal, made available to German parliamentarians, to develop out-of-town hypermarkets. It would appear that this government is not content with attacking the low-paid and those on benefit, it is also acting against business interests.
“For the last eight months Sinn Féin have been pressing the Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, to begin the process with the Northern Executive to equalise tax and excise rates across the island of Ireland. Creating an economic zone that would encourage stability and allow businesses on both sides of the border to flourish.
“Having fluctuations and disparities in these rates undermines our island economy and in particular the economy of border counties.
“We need is a level playing field for all retailers, but by taking this decision Fine Gael and Labour TDs are actively causing jobs losses and damaging the ability of retailers to withstand the challenges of recession.
“Sinn Féin in the North is pushing for these fiscal powers to be transferred from London to Belfast to facilitate this as soon as possible.
“The government needs to drop the plans for a VAT rate increase and sit down with the administration in Stormont to iron out these differences.
“The last Government were thrown out by the electorate. Fianna Fail have no TD’s in Dublin and the Greens were decimated.
“People voted for change believing there was a fairer and better way. They clearly didn’t vote for Fianna Fail light.
“The government had and continues to have choices to make.
“We have said that it does not have to continue to bail out zombie banks. It does not have to introduce a budget that will attack those in poverty on low or on middle incomes and it should not pursue policies that undermine our economy.
“The current government proposals are bad for our people, bad for our small retailers and bad for jobs.Their latest leaked budget proposals will weaken the local economy and drive more employers to the wall.
“Families are looking for leadership from Government,new ideas and innovation instead of more of the same.”