Prosperity must bring services - Labour

Ireland's continued economic prosperity must deliver better public services, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said this morning.

Mr Rabbitte said the choice in the general election was between a government that sees economic growth as an end in itself and a Labour-Fine Gael coalition that sees a healthy economy as a means of delivering better public services and a better quality of life.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte

"I think it's a prerequisite that we maintain a prosperous enterprise economy, but we want to see continued economic growth as the basis for improving public services for our citizens, rather than just supporting growth for the sake of growth," said Mr Rabbitte.

"Fianna Fáil seems to be arguing that we should look at the growth alone. But I say . . . what about the neglect of issues such as classroom sizes, the absence of psychological assessments for children in need, the problems of having a public transport system which is grossly underfunded and inadequate, or of hospital provision where access depends on private insurance and even old people have to spend time on trolleys?"

Among the proposed changes outlined by the Labour Party in its document What A Difference a Change Will Makeare more beds in public hospitals, a universal health insurance system, better public transport, a "Marshall Plan" for disadvantaged communities, pre-school education for all, an increase in the number of gardaí on the street and action on climate change.

The Labour leader also claimed that unlike Fianna Fáil, his party was interested in helping more people to become property owners.

"Labour is on the side of young people who need a home unlike Fianna Fáil who are on the side of the people who inhabit the tent at the Galway races," said Mr Rabbitte.