Housing plan shows that Sinn Féin cannot be trusted with public finances – Richmond

A Fine Gael Minister has slammed the financing of Sinn Fein’s new housing plan as reckless.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance and TD for Dublin Rathdown, Neale Richmond, has today said that Sinn Féin are putting Ireland’s future at risk by cutting contributions to our two long-term investment funds.

“We are lucky in Ireland to have two long term investment funds to ensure that we have a buffer protecting our economy from future shocks.

“During the pandemic, we saw how important it was to have a Rainy-Day Fund, to be grown up with our country’s finances.

“Put simply, we would not have been able to weather the pandemic, support thousands of businesses across the country and those who lost their jobs, without this money.

“The Future Ireland Fund will help us to face issues from an ageing population, the climate crisis and the digital transition, all issues that we know will impact us into the future.

“The Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund will help us to meet our climate goals in supporting climate projects, but crucially, it will allow us to continue to invest in infrastructure should there be an economic downturn.

“Sinn Fein want to cut our contributions to both of these vital funds.

“This week, Pearse Doherty has said that in order to pay for his party’s housing plan, they would cut contributions to Ireland’s two long term investment funds.

“Sinn Fein clearly believe that there is no need to save for the future, that our ageing population, the global climate crisis, that these will pay for themselves.

“Does Sinn Féin not believe in saving for the future? Does Sinn Féin not believe in putting money aside to pay for the climate crisis?

“Sinn Féin have absolutely no plan to address the Climate Crisis.

“Housing is the number one priority of this Government, that is why we have the Help to Buy scheme giving first time buyers €30,000 of their tax back, helping 50,000 families own their own home.

“We are investing in housing, 33,358 homes started to be built in the first seven months of 2024 alone.

“We are prioritising housing while preparing for the future – as any sensible Government should.

“The reality is that Sinn Féin cannot be trusted with our economy.

“You wouldn’t run your household budget in such a feckless manner, yet Sinn Féin thinks it is ok to not save for the future, to not plan for vital spending, to not protect our future energy needs, to take a punt on our nation’s and our children’s’ futures.

“Sinn Féin have once again proven that they cannot be trusted with Ireland’s finances,” Minister Richmond concluded.