Sinn Féin finance spokesman Arthur Morgan TD today warned against public service cuts as he announced his party's Budget priorities.
Speaking as he unveiled the party's Realising Ireland's Potentialdocument, Mr Morgan said: "The Government cannot revert to type and fall back on short-sighted cuts in public services that will do lasting damage."
In its document, the party said that drastic cutbacks in public services is "totally unacceptable," adding that Irish public services "are already characterised by a lack of capacity and quality".
"Total Irish Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP in 2007 was 36.4 per cent, as opposed to the EU-27 average of 45.4 per cent," the documents goes on to say.
Sinn Féin would support measures "that can deliver a sound economy based on job creation, social inclusion and fair taxation," Mr Morgan said.
“Despite the current economic difficulties, Sinn Féin believes that the economy can be turned around. We believe that it is absolutely essential that the Government uses the next twelve months to tackle the ongoing financial crisis and the construction sector collapse," he continued.
"It must restore confidence and develop sound industries, particularly the indigenous export sector, build a more responsive and equitable social welfare process, and create a fair and progressive taxation system."
The party also call led for key public infrastructure projects to go ahead and not be cancelled or postponed "to allow the Government wriggle room with figures".