Kelly: Government must make budget 2013 fair for all

A Wexford Councillor has called on the government to make Budget 2013 fair for all by making those who can afford to pay more do so.  Sinn Féin Cllr Anthony Kelly called for the introduction of a 1% wealth tax on income/assets over €1 million, the reduction of tax reliefs for high earners and an emergency pay cap of €100,000 to be placed on all those working in the public service.

Cllr Kelly said;

“Budget 2013 is looming over the Irish people like a black cloud.  Families across this nation, already struggling to survive from week to week, are seriously worried that this budget will push them over the edge.  We already have ten percent of people in this state living in food poverty and its estimated that half of the population will be living in fuel poverty in the next five years unless measures are taken to counter act the growing poverty.”

“This poverty is being heightened by the mistakes that have been made in past budgets.  The pro austerity parties; Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fail, have to be answerable to the two hundred thousand Irish children living below the poverty line.  Austerity has failed and it’s beyond time that another way to tackle our problems was tried.”

“Sinn Féin is proposing that the most vulnerable should be protected in Budget 2013.  That means protecting current welfare, disability and old age pension payments.  It means leaving the children’s allowance alone.  It means not introducing a property tax.  It means protecting frontline services from cuts and lifting the detrimental recruitment embargo so 3500 new staff can be taken on.”

“We have delivered a fully costed alternative budget to show that cuts to vital services and benefits can be avoided if the government is prepared to introduce progressive taxation measures.  First of all, a wealth tax of 1% should be introduced on net wealth over €1 million, with working farmland and business assets being protected.  A third rate of income tax at 48% should be brought in for those earning in excess of €100,000 per annum.  An emergency cap of €100,000 should be placed on all civil and public servants immediately.”

“Our full alternative budget document can be found online at www.sinnfein.ie.  I would urge people to read it and to open their minds to the very real alternatives that are available to our government, alternatives that have been avoided and in some cases covered up by the Austerity Troika of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Labour party.”