Cost of Living supports not possible under Sinn Féin – Burke

Energy credits and a double child benefit payment to assist with the cost of living would not have been possible if Sinn Féin’s energy price caps or Summer mini budget had been implemented, a Fine Gael Minister has said.

Minister Peter Burke said this week’s roll out of €200 energy credits, with more to come, and further assistance for parents is only possible due to careful and sound economic management.

“Whatever happens, Fine Gael will work hard to ensure our economy stays strong so we have resources to to help with the cost of living, vital public services and public infrastructure like housing.

“On the flip side, for months Sinn Féin TDs demanded an energy price cap. Seeking to copy the UK government, Sinn Féin included an energy price cap in their alternative budget but failed to provide anywhere near enough in funding to cover the cost of this populist and reckless measure.

“The UK’s Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated an annual cost of the energy price cap in the UK – with a population of approximately 13 times larger than Ireland – at £100bn. Such a measure would therefore cost at least €8bn here. Yet Sinn Féin provided only €1.5bn in its budget.

“Focusing solely on populism and soundbites, Sinn Féin ignored the problems with price caps which are effectively blank cheques to energy companies and, in reality, increase the use of energy. So unrealistic was the Tory energy price cap, they since slashed the duration of the price cap by three-quarters, from two years down to six months,” Minister Burke said.

The Fine Gael Minister said Sinn Féin’s alternative budget represents an attack on ordinary workers and families.

“With 20 separate tax increases, under Sinn Féin every worker would pay more tax because Sinn Féin once more failed to adjust income tax for inflation.

“They focus solely on USC meaning that a worker on a €40,000 annual salary would get only €313 back under Sinn Féin rather than the €831 under the government’s budget.

“Sinn Féin would also attack families by increasing inheritance tax and lowering the tax-free amount a parent could pass on to their children.

“Sinn Féin are a ‘High Tax, Anti Jobs’ party. They will wreck the economy if provided with the chance. They are hypocritical and dishonest. Fine Gael will not go into any sort of coalition with them,” Minister Burke said.

“When it comes to scrutiny about recent issues such as: sacking civil servants, criminal and torturer in chief, Jonathan Dowdall and his 2011 €1,000 donation to Mary Lou McDonald, questionable SIPO party returns, terrible alternative Budgets, suing media organisations and politicians, uncosted energy price caps, they want to avoid the spotlight afraid of being found out. Populism and double speak can only get you so far,” the Minister added.