Sinn Féin highlight one year of Fine Gael/Labour Mismanagement

Wexford Sinn Féin held a demonstration outside the constituency clinic of Minister Brendan Howlin this morning to highlight one year of broken promises and failed policies. Cllr Anthony Kelly has described the last year as being one of ‘failures, broken promises and misery’. The Wexford Councillor said that Brendan Howlin was playing his role as Minister for Hardship with gusto and owed an explanation to those thousands of voters who had selected him last year on promises that have not been delivered.

“One year ago Fine Gael and Labour came to power on the promise of a new type of politics,” Cllr Kelly said, “Today we have 440,000 unemployed, 50,000 people emigrating every year and 130,000 children living in poverty. The unfortunate truth is that the coalition government has failed entirely to deal with the economic crisis and, instead of introducing the vital steps needed to jump start our economy and secure our nation’s future, has instead carried on the failed austerity plan of Fianna Fail.”

“Despite pre election promises of the contrary, the working poor are still being crucified by the Universal Social Charge. On top of this they now face new stealth taxes. People with huge mortgages hanging over their heads are told that they must pay an annual tariff for the privilege of living in their own home while rural families who installed their own septic tanks at great cost are now to face inspections and an annual charge.”

“In the last year we have witnessed devastating cutbacks to our education and health services. The SNA catastrophe has left many special needs children without the possibility of an education. The trolley crisis continues at our local hospital. All this goes on while our new government insist on paying out taxpayers’ money to unsecured, unguaranteed bondholders. So much for labours way over Frankfurt’s.”

“Eamon Gilmore promised that together there is no problem that we cannot confront just two days before the election last year. Like much of what the coalition pledged it is now revealed as a hollow promise designed by people who wanted to win an election, not save a country. Instead of a year of confronting our problems, the Irish people have had a year of failures, broken promises and misery. Sinn Féin members are not the only ones to think this. Last week we saw Labour grassroots campaigning outside the Dail against their party’s decision to support the austerity treaty. All across this country Labour members and supporters are turning their backs on a party that has lost its ideals and betrayed its support base.”

“Minister Brendan Howlin is playing his role as Minister for Hardship with gusto. Thousands of voters in this county elected the Minister on promises of rapid job creation, an end to unfair cuts and a complete reform of our corrupted political system. These promises have not been delivered and it’s clear that, one year on, Minister Howlin owes those voters a real explanation. This new government, like its predecessor, is completely unfit to handle the challenge put before it.”