High-octane Election Budget Buying Votes With Citizens Money – Tóibín
The Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has accussed the government of "trying to buy votes" with their budget of multiple one off payments this side of the election.
Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said: "This is a high-octane election budget unashamedly buying citizens' votes with their own money. This is McCreevy Mark 2. Universal once off payments are more about raising poll ratings that lifting families out of poverty. Long term targeted supports lift families out of poverty. The reduction exclusively of the middle rate of USC as opposed to spreading the cut over the middle rate and the lower rate means that those on upper incomes will benefit significantly more. In terms of infrastructure, its waste as usual. The government will deliver less for more cost. Infrastructure l projects are grinding to a halt while their budgets are ballooning. There is nothing in this budget that gives any practical confidence to the government cliché that lessons have been learned".
Deputy Tóibín continued: "Given that this budget takes place against the background of the bonfire taxpayers money, its shocking that no plan in this Budget to protect the public purse, to make efficiencies or save tax payers money. There is no sign of HSE reform, no talk of a recruitment freezes for senior management and administration in the HSE? No sign of tackling the Health €2.5bn compensation paid. There is nothing to indicate brakes that will be applied to budget waste at the OPW. It is interesting that without corporation taxes our budget would be in serious deficit. Fine Gael for years battled tooth and nail efforts to delete corporation tax loop holes and breaks. They also fought efforts to increase the rate of Corporation tax. Without these two steps our budget surplus would be much reduced and possibly close to a deficit".
"Last year the government made more from tax on fuel than ever before. This budget saw another massive increase hitting commuters and homeowners. The electricity credit will be completely eroded by the increase in the PSO levy and the corporation tax. Despite the maintenance of the lower rate of VAT on electricity Ireland will still have the highest cost in Europe. A key element of the once off payments is they provide a sticking paster over the dysfunction of so many sections while ignoring the fixes that they need. There is nothing in this Budget to deal with rip off Ireland. There is nothing in this budget to really increase capacity in the provision of public services. We need more builders, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, mental health professionals, Gardaí, bus drivers etc. There is no real steps to educate more for these roles and to bring home tens of thousands of key Irish staff from abroad. Investment in child care has been increased but nothing is been done to stop the flow of provider closures in the sector", concluded Tóibín.
ENDS
