Hypocritical Sinn Féin’s volte-face on international borrowing – Burke

Sinn Féin’s hypocrisy is evident again as the party tries to distance itself from their numerous calls for the country to default on its debt over the last decade, a Fine Gael Minister has said.

Minister Peter Burke said Sinn Féin are now presenting themselves as leading the charge for low interest European loans while the same senior party figures constantly demanded Fine Gael led Governments to deliberately default and refuse to meet any financial commitments and throw away our international reputation.

“The Sinn Féin volte-face is quite spectacular. Sinn Féin’s hypocrisy across a range of issues is now a common theme – it is the only thing the party is consistent on. They present themselves as a credible Opposition. They are anything but.

“For Sinn Féin to go from a position of inward, isolationist economics, which had they been enacted would have cost us spectacularly on the international front, to now demand that we take advantage of low interest international loans is stunning. We heard repeatedly over the last number of years that we should use the rainy day fund for various issues, with Sinn Fein accusing Fine Gael of only being willing to use it for a bank bailout. Yet they are now silent when it has been drawn down as part of this budget.

“On RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald refused to even admit our international reputation has been restored.

“Had we listened to the Sinn Féin calls of Gerry Adams or Pearse Doherty, we would be well and truly be in the ha’penny place now in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.

“With the resolve of the Irish people, Fine Gael eliminated the deficit in our national finances, balanced our books and brought the country to a surplus in record time. Had this been predicted in 2011, nobody would have believed it but thanks to sheer hard work across the country, this was achieved and we can face this pandemic head on as we have done since last Spring.

“As a result, we can borrow money, to meet the needs of the people we serve, for longer periods and at lower interest rates thanks to our creditworthiness and ability to meet our commitments.

“And this is what Sinn Féin wanted us to completely case aside for years yet now want us to avail of. They are hypocrites – nothing else. The party of Mary Lou McDonald and Pearse Doherty cannot be trusted with the public finances,” Minister Burke said.