Fianna Fáil About Turn on Property Tax

Sinn Féin representative Seán Crowe TD  has accused Fianna Fail of doing an about turn following the launch of their Wrong Tax Wrong Time campaign against property tax this afternoon.

Deputy Seán Crowe said

“U turns, about turns, no left turns and not forgetting it surely must be our turn again, seems to be order of the day when it comes to Fianna Fail.
If there were in government does anyone really believe that this unfair and damaging tax would not have already been introduced.”

“Sinn Féin has consistently opposed the introduction of a property tax. In our opinion it will increase the financial hardship of hundreds of thousands of families. It will push tens of thousands into serious mortgage distress and significantly increase levels of poverty. It will also damage the domestic economy by reducing consumer spending. This will lead to more job losses.

“Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has ahard neck launching a campaign against the introduction of a property tax in 2013. Sure we all know that if his party was in government this tax would have been introduced at the drop of a hat.

“It was a Fianna Fail Government that negotiated the first Memorandum of Understanding with the Troika.

“That lousy agreement contained a clear commitment to introduce a property tax for budget 2012 as part of a revenue raising package of €1.6bn.

“And funny enough Fianna Fail’s 2012 pre-budget submission included a proposal for a property tax to raise €120 million.

“Today’s campaign launch is typical  of Fianna Fail in opposition. Trying to reinvent themselves, they are constantly opposing things they did, or agreed to do when in Government, and criticising the current Government for continuing the failed social and economic policies they they actually pioneered.

“Fianna Fail  has absolutely no credibility when it comes to issues such as the property tax.

“People should not be fooled by this kind of stroke politics. It has been the hallmark of Fianna Fail for many years and despite all their claims to the contrary is central to their style of politics today.

“We believe is a better and fairer way to solve the state’s economic problems  We can start by abandoning the failed policies of austerity slavishly followed by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour.” ENDS

Text of December 2010 Memorandum of Understanding agreed by Fianna Fail

“The government will provide a draft budget for 2012 aiming to further reduce the genera government deficit in line with the National Recovery Plan and the programme and including the detailed presentation of consolidation measures amounting to at least €3.6bn.
– Revenue measures to yield €1,500m in a full year will be introduced, including:
– A lowering of personal income tax bands and credits.
– A reduction in private pension tax reliefs.
– A reduction in general tax expenditures.
– A property tax.
– A reform of capital gains tax and acquisitions tax.
– An increase in the carbon tax.”