Kelly calls Fianna Fail “economic illiterates”

The Sinn Féin general election candidate in County Wexford has labelled Fianna Fail “economic illiterates”.  Cllr Anthony Kelly made the statement following deputy Sean Connicks scandalous accusations about Sinn Féin’s economic policy on South East Radio last week.

“Deputy Connick had the audacity to claim that Sinn Féin’s economic policy for recovery was not sound when he knows only too well that our policies have been costed by the Department of Finance, and broadly welcomed by respected economists such as Michael Taft and David McWilliams,” an angry Cllr Kelly said. “I find it strange that Deputy Connick would sneer at Sinn Féin economic policy when he stands firm as a representative of a party whose own failed economic policies have reduced a once prosperous Irish state to bankruptcy.  Deputy Connick is fond of saying that the numbers don’t add up.  It’s a pity he didn’t tell Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan that when they were engaged in reckless auction style budgets that were eventually to leave this nation crippled.”

“It was Sinn Féin who condemned the hair brain schemes of Fianna Fail Inc. These schemes included the Bertie Bowl, electronic voting and a new economically friendly public transport system for Dublin which resulted in a two track waste of money called the LUAS.  We told Sean Connicks party then that the numbers didn’t add up.  They called us economic illiterates.  Now it’s time to set the record straight.  The leadership of Fianna Fail are the economic illiterates, not us.”

Cllr Kelly recently outlined Sinn Féins alternative budget and economic plan at mass meetings in Gorey, New Ross and Wexford Town.  These plans include the immediate reversal of cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage, the burning of high risk foreign bondholders and a seven billion euro job stimulus package to get Ireland back to work.

“I met a group of young chaps the other day who were leaving for Australia because they can’t find a way to live in their own country,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Their story and stories like it are breaking the heart of the nation.  We are in this position because the people who were running the country were unfit to fulfil their commitments.  They were economic illiterates.  It gives me no pleasure to say it because I am suffering the same as everyone else for their mistakes.  Sinn Féin offers change.  Our plan has been welcomed by people who know what they’re talking about; economists, business owners and the ordinary people who have been left on the scrap heap of Irish society.  I would appeal to people to read our policies and make up their own judgement.”