Government TDs living in a bubble that we need to burst – Kelly

Cllr Anthony Kelly has described the Fine Gael and Labour TDs who support the upcoming austerity budget as being deluded, and has said that they are living in their own little bubble which the Irish people need to burst. Cllr Kelly made the remarks during a peaceful picket of Fine Gael TD Liam Twomey’s office in Wexford town last Saturday.

“It seems to me that any TD who supports this budget of cuts is completely deluded,” Cllr Kelly said. “We have had Fine Gael and Labour party TDs actually defend their broken election promises and failed job creation programme. These TDs have had the audacity to claim that things are getting better. It is truly terrifying that they are so out of touch with the ordinary Irish person, who is enduring the worst recession that this state has ever known. One Fine Gael TD even stated that nobody will be any worse off after this budget. Try telling that to people who have been cut beyond hope.”

“Deputy Liam Twomey recently gave the government’s budget plan the thumbs up and declared that we are well on our way to regaining our economic sovereignty. Does Deputy Twomey know something the rest of us don’t? Or is he so protected in his flush job in Leinster House that he is completely unaware of the suffering of families in his constituency while his government pay out bondholders at the behest of those in the higher echelons of the European Union who they seek to regain our sovereignty from? The truth is that any TD who supports a budget which will lead to more hardship for under pressure citizens, more economic collapse and more job losses is not only failing the constituents who voted him in, but is also revealing himself to be an absolute economic illiterate.”

“Sinn Féin has laid out a comprehensive, costed alternative to the government’s budget which would protect low paid workers, the unemployed and the most vulnerable in our society, and would make those who can afford to, pay more. Our pre budget plan explains why austerity has failed and will continue to fail, and sets out job creation as the only road to recovery. I wish Deputy Twomey and his fellow TDs had bothered to take the time to read the document instead of dismissing it. Instead he is happy to support a budget plan that is very similar to the one delivered by Fianna Fail last year. The one which Deputy Twomey and his party criticised and campaigned against.”

“Sinn Féin will continue to protest against this government’s failed economic policy in County Wexford. I fear that our government TDs are living in their own little bubble, entirely unaware of the destruction that their actions are causing to families across this nation. It’s time the people of Ireland popped their bubble and reminded them who the boss is.”