Kelly sets record straight about bank bail out

County Wexfords Sinn Féin candidate has reacted angrily to claims by local politicians that his party supported the bank bail out. Cllr Anthony Kelly said that it was common knowledge that his party voted against the bank guarantee scheme brought forward by Brian Lenihan on the 17th October 2008.

"I find it amazing that certain parties keep bringing this up," Cllr Kelly said. "If you check the Dail records, you'll see that they clearly show Sinn Féins opposition to the bank bail out. Sinn Féin did vote in favour of an emergency financial support bill which would allow the minister to make decisions to prevent against the collapse of the Irish banking system. Sinn Féin supported this bill to insure that there would be money available for Irish families at their local ATM's and to prevent complete anarchy. Amazingly the Labour party decided to throw caution to the wind, ignore the needs of ordinary Irish families and make a crazy publicity stance by not voting for the bill."

Cllr Kelly stressed the difference between this emergency bill and what was to become the bank bail out. "It wasn't a bank guarantee scheme. We made it clear that we would not support such a scheme unless it contained a bank levy, no more bonuses for bankers, salary cuts for top bankers, support for mortgage holders and the creation of a state bank. None of these things were included in the bank bail out, which is why we reject it. What puzzles me is why these other groups keep bringing it up? perhaps they cant understand the simple scenario that unfolded. Or maybe its more likely that they are attacking us because they have no policies of their own!"

Sinn Féin is only alternative - Kelly

The Sinn Féin general election candidate for County Wexford has said that his party is the only alternative to political corruption, economic misery and IMF occupation.
Speaking at the official launch of his election campaign last night, Cllr Anthony Kelly told supporters that a vote for Labour or Fine gael was a vote for more of the same. "Sinn Féin rejects the extreme austerity measures implemented by the current regime, and supported by those who wish to form the next government," Cllr Kelly said. "Sinn Féin rejects IMF interference and has stated clearly that we would burn the bondholders and use money from the National Pension Reserve Fund to create new jobs. The others want to hand this money over to these bondholders, German banks and eccentric football club owners. Sinn Féin have been campaigning for many years to end the two tiered health system, and introduce a new fairer health service. Sinn Féin oppose any form of political corruption and support cutting wages to TDs. We are different. We are the alternative!"
Cllr Kelly was joined by Northern Minister for Agriculture Michelle Gildernew. She said that she felt County Wexford had an excellent candidate and in three weeks would be delivering the first Wexford Sinn Féin TD in ninety years.

Labour are stealing SF's policies - Kelly

LABOUR has taken up Sinn Féin’s policies on a just tax system, health service reform, the IMF/EU deal and the six-year plan after weeks of Eamon Gilmore “sitting on the fence” on policy issues, Sinn Féin County Wexford candidate Anthony Kelly has said.

"Two weeks ago Eamon Gilmore said he would not enter government with Sinn Féin," Cllr Kelly said, "But today we find that not only are they considering a coalition with us, they are also robbing our policies. Labour now say that they want to renegotiate with the bondholders. They now say that they want a just tax system and an end to the two-tier health system. They now say that they want to have a six-year plan rather than four years of cuts. Now where have I seen these policies before? Oh that's right, there all Sinn Féin policies."

Cllr Kelly said that he was glad to see the Labour party proposing these better policies but felt that they should pay homage to the the people they took the ideas from - Sinn Féin. Cllr Kelly also called on Labour party leader Eamon Gilmore to rule out coalition with Fine Gael after the election, as it was clear that Fine Gael would never agree to these fairer policies.

GOREY - "AN UNEMPLOYMENT BLACKSPOT"

Sinn Fein's Anthony Kelly has described Gorey as "an unemployment black spot, which the Establishment parties have let down"

“There is a lack of infrastructure to help people find work. The town doesn’t even have a FÁS office and the FÁS Officer who is there has to use that of the local Partnership and he is only available for 3 hours and on just one day per week – (10 until 1 on a Wednesday).

This isn't surprising as a review of Fás training centres has found that almost 70 workshops and 20 classrooms it operates around the country are lying idle.

At the end of 2008, Fás employed 50 temporary instructors and 40 other temporary staff, but by last Christmas these numbers had fallen to just one temporary instructor and one other!”

Gorey job seekers must head to the Enniscorthy office where things have gotten so desperate that they are looking for a solicitor to take a job as part of the Work Placement Programme but highlighting that the job “doesn’t offer a salary!”

Several businesses around the town have been forced to close and there have been several families have had their homes repossessed. Some have even been evicted.

Referring to the infamous Coolgreany/Croghan evictions of 1887, Kelly said that "this area was known the length and breadth of Ireland (and even as far afield as Russia at that time) due to the mass evictions. Over a century later, the same thing is happening again. We just have a new set of tyrants in control"

EXODUS FROM GOREY AREA

Referring to emigration which is ravaging Co. Wexford once again, Kelly said:

I know of several cases where groups of young men and women in the Gorey area are been driven from this country. They are despairing and angry and feel that the Establishment parties have shamefully let them down and have sold out their country. They are right.

Hundreds turned up to The Bunker recently for a going-away function, where one such group of young people said their goodbyes to their friends and families, as they set out to find work at the other side of the world. It would make you so angry. It's a sick system that we just have to change.

HOPE

Sinn Féin have been pushing for a 7 Billion Euro jobs stimulus package (from Pension Reserve Fund) which will create thousands of new jobs in Co. Wexford ; many new Community Employment places and "Frontline Services Aides Scheme" among many other measures - (for further details see www.sinnfein.ie and electanthonykelly on facebook)

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.”

There is a better way - Kelly

County Wexfords Sinn Féin General Election candidate Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that there is better way to sort out our country's finance than what is being put forward by the other political parties. Cllr Kelly was responding to comments made by new Fianna Fail leader Mícheál Martin in which he said the rise of Sinn Féin is a threat to the economy.

Speaking today Cllr Kelly said;
"Yesterday  the Central Bank revised down its growth projections for 2011 to 1%, down from 2.4% three months ago. Today Mr Martin attacks the economic policy of my party! I find it incredible. This predicted reduction in economic growth is a direct result of the Government’s budget cutbacks and means that the targets the government set itself in the four year plan are now in serious doubt as it is based on predicted growth of 1.75%."

"I find it bizarre that Fianna Fail and the other parties spend so much time worrying about Sinn Féins economic policies, when we are the only party who has got it right so far. We correctly predicted that Fianna Fail auction style budgets of the early noughties would lead to disaster. We correctly said that the government would bring the IMF in when they could no longer see a way out themselves. We were right then and we are right now. The only people who need to worry about Sinn Féins economic policies are the bondholders and speculators who gambled on Ireland’s economy."

Cuts to minimum wage must be reversed immediately

Wexford Sinn Féin Dail hopeful Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that cuts to the minimum wage which came into effect from today, must be reversed immediately as they will only heighten our economic crisis.

Cllr Kelly said;
"The cutting of the minimum wage is further example of economic recklessness from the people who mismanaged our economy during the Celtic tiger era and left us with a broken country. It is the typical mentality of these people to cut the lowest paid workers in our society while paying vast pensions to retiring TDs. Should the ordinary man and woman be forced to pay for the mistakes of these politicians when they can simply retire and claim a three hundred thousand plus pension?"

"Sinn Féin supports the reversal of cuts to the minimum wage and demand that the next government of this state impose budgets that put compassion for their fellow citizens before extreme austerity measures. My party is not living in cloud cuckoo land. We have put forward an alternative budget that has been costed by the department of finance and endorsed by leading economists. Our measures prioritise job creation and economic reform, instead of cutting the most vulnerable in society. Surely that makes more sense."