Download Sinn Féin's Emergency Budget Submission

Meath Sinn Féin Launch Job Creation Proposals

Members of Meath Sinn Féin launched its job retention and creation strategy document ‘Getting Ireland back to work’ on Saturday 21st March. The document contains more than 80 proposals, which Sinn Féin believes are urgently required. It sets out specific measures for job retention, job creation, all-Ireland economic spending and education and training. Meath County Councillor said:

“In just over twelve months unemployment has doubled in Meath and increased by 184,061 across the State. In January and February almost 1,000 people lost their jobs every day. The government’s budget last October did nothing to stimulate the economy. As of now, unemployment figures will far exceed the projected figure of 400,000 by the end of the year. This is a crisis that cannot continue.

“The government needs a three-year plan to hold on to or create the 1,000 jobs a day that are being lost. This means quickly identifying viable companies that need immediate help. It means identifying where jobs are going to be created over the next 3-5 years and bringing together FÁS, VECs, colleges and universities to up-skill the workforce. It means fostering a real innovation culture. And most critically, quarterly targets need to be set and delivered.

“Meath Sinn Féin have already published detailed proposals for Navan and met with Enterprise Ireland. We will be presenting this document to the government and meeting with employers, workers, enterprise boards and groups across the country in the coming weeks to discuss the recommendations in the report. The party will also be publishing a public finance document outlining where we believe revenue can be raised and savings made and what is required in the longer term in relation to how the State raises finance. In addition we intend to develop a separate set of proposals on the tourism sector, which directly and indirectly employs so many people in Meath and last year was responsible for over €6 billion of GDP.”

Download Sinn Féin Job Creation Strategy Document

Budget Cuts

The Budget brought in by the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government is a savage Budget of cuts in public services and widespread increases in taxes and charges. It targets working families, the low paid and pensioners. Having created a massive economic mess the Government are now making ordinary people pay the price.

The Government promised to look after the most vulnerable and to ensure that top earners would pay their fair share. They did neither. They promised that frontline services in health and education would be protected but instead these services are being slashed.

They have introduced a one percent levy on almost all incomes up to €100,000 and increased VAT to 21.5% along with other stealth taxes. The result is that hundreds of thousands of working families are worse off today while those at the top of the scale are still not paying their fair share.
Leis an méadú ar mhéid na ranganna agus an gearradh siar ar an mbuiséad dos na foirgnimh scoile, beidh na páistí ag fanacht i ranganna atá plódaithe agus foirgnimh atá reathte síos.
College registration fees increased by €600 to €1,500, while at the same time child benefit, for over 18s, is being removed.
The elderly and sick were not spared either. While the government has been forced into a significant climb down, the automatic right to the medical card for the over 70s has been abolished. Bed charges in public hospitals increased by 20% and A&E charges went up from €66 to €100.

ESB prices went up almost 20% in August and Bord Gáis are now looking for a similar increase. The cost of petrol is to increase by eight cent per litre hitting those on low and middle incomes hardest.
There has been a 13% (€210m) cut to agriculture and fisheries with the closing off of the Early Retirement Scheme for farmers, the abolition of the Installation Aid Grant for young farmers and major cuts to Teagasc’s budget for research and development. These are very shortsighted decisions which will have long term consequences.

Sinn Féin Economy spokesperson Arthur Morgan said “Sinn Féin wanted to see the beginning of a three-year plan to get the economy back on track. We had called on the Minister to prioritise job creation and help those who have lost their jobs in recent months to get back into the workforce as quickly as possible.
But Fianna Fáil and the Greens offered absolutely nothing in the way of job creation. This was a bad budget and will do little to help move the economy out of recession. Sinn Féin is calling on people accross the country to campaign against these savage cuts.

Downloads

List of savage Budget Cuts

Education Cuts target children, parents and teachers

Government attacks the old and sick with Health cuts

Budget Cuts Newsletter

Sinn Féin's 2009 Budget Proposals