SINN FÉIN STATEMENT ON THE FINANCE BILL AND FORTHCOMING ELECTION
Earlier yesterday, RTE reported that Sinn Féin would facilitate the passage of the Finance Bill in order to speed up the dissolution of the Dáil.
This is a statement released last night by Pearse Doherty, finance spokesperson for Sinn Féin, which brings clarification to RTE’s news report.
Sinn Féin opposes Finance Bill and calls for election now
Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has said that Fine Gael’s offer to facilitate the passage of the Government’s Finance Bill has exposed the fact that Fine Gael policies are no different to those of Fianna Fáil. He said the Taoiseach should call a General Election now.
Pearse Doherty said:
“The offer today by Fine Gael Finance Spokesperson Michael Noonan to facilitate the passage of the Government’s Finance Bill has exposed the fact that Fine Gael policies are no different to those of Fianna Fáil.
“Sinn Féin is totally opposed to the Government’s Finance Bill, published on Friday.
“This Bill, if passed, would put into legislation cuts introduced in the Budget.
“It would be totally wrong to push through this legislation for which the Government has no mandate only weeks in advance of an election.
“The Taoiseach needs to call an General Election now. It’s time to let the people have their say. Let the parties present their economic proposals and budgetary alternatives and let the people decide.
“Fine Gael and Labour want to facilitate the Government in passing the Finance Bill. They signed up to the consensus for cuts and they have said they won’t reverse the cuts introduced in the budget.
“Sinn Féin opposes the savage cuts outlined in the Budget and contained in the Finance Bill and has set out a clear and credible economic alternative which for which we will be seeking a mandate.”
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Comment by: Misterman
Jan 23rd 2011 at 19:01
Sinn Féin opposing the Finance Bill and base this on opposition to the cuts etc, Yet they are supporting cuts in the North.
In the election Sinn Féin will be hammered on this point and as yet I have heard no strong reason from Sinn Féin to justify their positon.
Please Pearse explain now why Sinn Féin inmplements cuts in North and rejects them in the South. Explain now, because once the election comes the question will be put again and again
Comment by: Fear i lár
Jan 24th 2011 at 00:01
I believe it’s due to the nature of the two institutions. The northern assembly being a conflict resolution mechanism and the south being an independent governmental institution.
Comment by: Pope Epopt
Jan 24th 2011 at 09:01
@Fear i lár.
I don’t know if the parties involved would regard the NIA as a conflict resolution mechanism rather than a devolved bit of a government, but I guess there is something in that.
Comment by: frank
Jan 24th 2011 at 10:01
Misterman
Have you been following the Budget debate in the Assembly?
The Budget in the North is not yet agreed precisely because SF refused to accept the ’settlement’ imposed by the Tory government, and which was initially accepted by both the DUP and SDLP, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11843527 who argued that £4bn in cuts would have to be made http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11617544 because the British government said so.
Instead, it seems that there will be a much-reduced package, possibly around £1.6bn in cuts over 4 years mainly to back-office functions, while there are simultaneously measures to increase the house building budget, so that the net reduction in the Budget will be lower still. The details are still not agreed.
This is a model of what a Party can do to defend the interests of workers and the poor against the cuts.
But SF accepts this is only a significant amelioration of the cuts. Ending the iniquitous system of block grant from Westminster is part of the struggle to break British colonialism in the North.