“Stop the handover” – Kelly

Sinn Féin Councillor Anthony Kelly is calling on people to join him in a campaign to ‘Stop the Handover’ of billions of euro to Anglo bondholders. The first payment is happening this Wednesday and will be paid out to an unguaranteed senior Anglo bondholder to the tune of €700 million. In January €1.2 billion will be paid out. This is against the backdrop of an austerity budget that will take over €4 billion out of the economy.

Councillor Kelly said:
“This Wednesday the government will pay out €700 million to an unguaranteed senior bond in Anglo Irish bank. This bond payout comes just one month before an austerity budget which will inflict hardship on children, on carers, on the disabled and on the working poor. In January a further €1.2 billion will be paid out. Billions of euros will be handed over while the Irish people face government imposed poverty.”

“The government plans to take between €3.6 and €4 billion out of the budget. A €700 million saving could mean no household charge. It could mean no welfare cuts. Even the smallest cut has the potential to inflict so much damage. The cut of 200 Special Needs Assistants this year caused untold damage for families with special children and saved the state only €6 million.”

“I am encouraging people to make their voices heard. People power can stop this outrageous payout. I am asking everybody to sign our petition which will be rolled out across the county and is also available online linked to Sinn Fein facebook pages. I am urging the people of County Wexford to tell the government to ‘Stop the Handover’.”