The Looming Irish Election

Political choices

-          Politics is about making choices.  FF/ Green government made bad choices.  FG and Labour promise more of the same.  Billions to be pumped into clapped out banks and cuts for people on low and middle incomes.

-          There is a better way. Sinn Féin makes different choices.  Through job creation, tax reform and eliminating waste we have shown how the deficit can be reduced over six years.  But you cannot do that and take on the burden of private bank debt as well. The fact is that if the state takes on this burden, interest on our debts will be €8.7 billion by 2014 –one quarter of the current tax take.

There is a better way.

-          There is still time to stop  FF, FG and Labour putting €30.6 billion into the toxic banks. 

-          A vote for Sinn Féin is a vote against this money being put into Anglo Irish and Irish Nationwide, zombie banks which are going to be shut down anyway.

-          There needs to be a referendum on this bank bailout.  If the people are being asked to pay Sinn Fein says ‘let them have their say’

What SF would do

-          End the gravy train – cut ministers and TDs salaries

-          Abolish USC and replace with 48% tax rate on individuals earning over €100,000

-          Reverse cuts in social welfare. – government cut social welfare by €873 million and then paid out €750 million to Anglo bondholders.

The Dáil needs a strong opposition.

-          There needs to be a strong party of opposition in the Dáil. 

-          Sinn Féin is the only party that will stand up for ordinary people.  Look at our record. We are the only party that can be relied on to hold the incoming government to account.

-          Sinn Féin won’t let a Fine Gael let government target the low paid, those on social welfare or public sector workers.  We won’t let them protect the fat cats, privatise our health system or capitulate to the EU or IMF. We won’t let them shrug their shoulders and say “we have had a look at the books and things are a lot worse than we thought” as they renege on election promises.  Wouldn’t you like the next Finance Minister to know that whatever he agrees in Brussels he has to bring back and explain to Pearse Doherty in the Dåil.