Universal Social Charge must go - Kelly

Speaking while canvassing in the Bree area earlier today, County Wexford Sinn Féin candidate Anthony Kelly said that his party was committed to scrapping the Universal Social Charge, and to reversing cuts to the minimum wage and social welfare implemented in the last budget. He went on to say that Sinn Féin believes that an alternative, people friendly budget must be brought in to replace the failed fianna fail/green one in the days following the general election.

"Its not enough to simply say something is bad and that it has to be scrapped," Cllr Kelly told supporters in Bree, "You have to provide a viable alternative, and that is what Sinn Féin has done. We have declared our opposition to the spineless consensus for cuts which included Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour, and their policy of austerity aimed at the vulnerable in our society. We have condemned them for their actions, but we have also provided an alternative. If elected to Leinster House, I will support my party in moving our alternative budget to replace the failed budget 2011. Our budget is based on those who can afford to pay more paying, while the vulnerable in our society are helped back on their feet through a mass job creation policy."

“Ireland faces into this year with an exchequer deficit of €18.7 billion. It is imperative that we close that deficit and Sinn Féin is committed to doing just that. However you cannot close the deficit if you do not grow the economy and tackle the jobs crisis."

"The Universal Social Charge must go now. Cuts to the minimum wage and social welfare must be reversed now. The policy of austerity against Irelands vulnerable must end now. Sinn Féin have the alternative policies. Sinn Féin is the only alternative in this election."