Taoiseach says Sinn Féin’s economic policy ‘not credible’

Taoiseach Enda Kenny attacked Sinn Féin’s campaign today, saying its economic policy was not credible, as he called on voters in the local and European elections to protect the stability built up by the Government since it took power.

Mr Kenny was speaking at a campaign event at which Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said voters should not surrounder the progress made towards economic recovery on Friday.

“Nobody in the Opposition stands up for the taxpayer any more,” Mr Noonan told reporters at a press conference.

The Taoiseach declined to say whether the post-election Cabinet reshuffle will be before or after the summer recess and said the Government’s concentration if possible in the next two budgets would be on increasing the pay threshold at which the higher rate of income tax is applied. On the reshuffle, he said he tried keep such matters “close to one’s chest as it were”.

While saying there would be no renegotiation of the Programme for Government between Fine Gael and Labour, Mr Kenny pointed to the possibility of amendments to incorporate the medium-term economic strategy. "Having your deficit below 3 per cent by 2015 and having it eliminated by 2017/8 and having a restoration of full employment by 2020, they are the targets. Obviously there are priorities within that we will focus on."

Mr Kenny said Fine Gael councillors would not vote for any increase in property taxes or commercial rates, and they would vote where possible to reduce commercial rates.

Asked about Sinn Féin’s call to the electorate to vote for change, Mr Kenny said the party was entitled to its view.

“What are the consequences of abolishing water charges, the property charges, the universal social charge - even the wealth tax that they have?” Mr Kenny said at a press conferences..

“All of these things are abolished. Nobody has put up the alternative of who’s going to pay for it and what the level of services that people are going to have as a consequence.

“These are issues that the party should explain to people before they go to vote. How are they intend to fund all of that. It would be wonderful to have easy solutions to complex problems. Unfortunately, life and reality are not that way.”

At the same event, Mr Noonan said voters should not be tempted by candidates whose policies would lead to a return of instability.

“Don’t give it all away by going back to instability. A lot of people think that the Opposition to the Government is very diverse. There’s a lot of different people there. There’s a lot of interesting colourful characters, but the policy position isn’t diverse,” the Minister said.

"While they pretend that they don't like increasing taxes because they oppose every individual tax like the property, every one of them from Fianna Fáil across to Sinn Féin and into the independent benches, they're all tax and spend people.

“Every time they do an interview they have a new scheme that costs money, sometimes very worthy schemes, very attractive schemes, but the common factor is they all cost money and they all have to be paid for through an increase in taxation.

“What the Opposition do is write new bills for the taxpayer and that will cause instability.”