New research vindicates Sinn Féins economic policy

New research from Social Justice Ireland has vindicated Sinn Féins economic policy, and proven its necessity to the future of this nation, that's according to County Wexfords Sinn Féin general election candidate, Cllr Anthony Kelly.

"This new research published by Social Justice Ireland proves what Sinn Féin has been saying for many years - That the policies of previous Irish governments have contributed to a growing gap between the rich and the poor in this state," Cllr Kelly said. "Government policies since 1987 have been increasing the income of the richest ten per cent of households and widening the gap between these and the rest of society. The bottom ten per cent receive only 2.28%. The number at risk of poverty would be more than three times higher if it weren’t for social welfare . Overall the share of the top 10% is nearly 11 times the share of the bottom 10%. There are more than 620,000 people (14.1% of the population) at risk of poverty in Ireland today. What kind of republic has this become?"

Cllr Kelly said that Sinn Féin intended to change this rotten system when in government, and that their alternative budget plan was a reflection of that. "Sinn Féins economic plan has been praised by leading economists and social protection groups, while being condemned by the consensus for cuts. Why? Because our policies mean changing this system and making a better country for all the people of this island, something that scares many vested interest groups.

According to Social Justice Ireland and Sinn Féin, the EU/IMF Bailout and the Four-Year Recovery Plan are continuing the process of supporting the better-off and seem set to produce a dramatic increase in poverty and social exclusion. Welfare rates are being reduced, services are being cut and charges are being introduced and/or increased.

Anglo Bondholders take social welfare money from Irelands vulnerable

Cllr Anthony Kelly has criticised the transfer of money saved due to social welfare cuts to a maturing bond in Anglo Irish Bank.

"The cuts to social welfare have ripped the heart out of this nation," Cllr Kelly said, shortly after being briefed by Sinn Féins Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty on the situation. "The effects of those cuts will cause more unemployment, more emigration and more misery for the people of Ireland. Now we find out that money cut from social welfare is going to senior bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank. This is another day of shame for the political establishment in this country."

“Tomorrow Anglo Irish Bank, the bank that is being paid for by Irish taxes, will pay out €750 million for a maturing bond despite the fact that the debt is not covered by the state guarantee. This is the result of the Government’s refusal to burn bondholders in Anglo. Sinn Féin is the only party that has called for Anglo’s bondholders to be burned, for the introduction of a bank resolution bill to guarantee deposits and for a reversal of the savage cuts implemented by this Government. That is the political choice that is before the people in this election.”

Kelly rebukes Fianna Fail TDs scandelous statement

Cllr Anthony Kelly has expressed his disappointment at comments made by Junior minister Sean Connick on South East Radio last Thursday. The Sinn Féin candidate, who is detirmined to stick to the policies in this campaign and not be dragged down into the political gutter with other parties, broke his silence this morning on South East radio, when he reminded Deputy Connick that Sinn Féins economic policies had been costed by the Department of Finance and leading economists.

"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," Cllr Kelly said. "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.  Sinn Féin alone spoke out against the careless spending of Deputy Connicks administration.  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."

"Today there are over half a million unemployed people living in this state, though many of them are not entitled to state benefits due to a incompetent bureaucracy bred by years of mismanagement by the likes of Deputy Connick.  We have surveys telling us that over fifty thousand more young unemployed people will emigrate this year.  They are part of the lost generation, reared in a booming economy that was exploited to the point of collapse by the friends of Fianna Fail Inc.  Today we can look at one survey that ranks us fifth richest nation out of fifteen European countries, while another equally authentic survey tells us that we rank 27^th out of thirty one nations in terms of social justice.  I put it to Deputy Connick that the numbers don’t add up. I put it to Deputy Connick that the people of Ireland know who the real economic illiterates are - the leadership of Fianna Fail."

Health reform needed to deal with Health crisis

County Wexford Sinn Féin’s general election candidate has said that his party proposes complete reform of the state health service to end the hospital crisis.  Cllr Anthony Kelly, a long time advocate of a fairer health service has said that only those who can afford to do so should be contributing to the provision of health care through fair taxation, and that health care should be available to all based on need and need alone, not on ability to pay.

“In 2006 the then Minister for Health said that we had a national emergency due to the numbers of sick on hospital trolleys,” Cllr Kelly said, “But now those figures have returned and little is said in explanation and even less offered as solution by our government.  We have record numbers of people on trolleys while hospital beds across the land remained closed.  Our hospitals are under staffed yet the HSE maintains a recruitment embargo and allows gifted student nurses to emigrate.  GPs are in short supply and where they are active; their fees can put people off getting treatment.  VHI hike their rates which imposes a further burden on thousands of families.  This is a crisis, and immediate action is required.”

“We in Sinn Féin see this general election has an opportunity to bring about massive change to Irish politics,” Cllr Kelly said.  “This change must include sweeping health reform.  For many years I have called for an end to the two tiered health service and the establishment of one health service based on equality and decency.  Now is the time to bring this service about.  Sinn Féin has proposed the establishment of a Health Funding Commission to plan the transition to such a fairer and more equitable system.

Kelly condemns double standards of Irish politicians

Cllr Anthony Kelly has condemned the double standards employed by members of some Irish political parties after a week of brutal selfishness in the Dail.  The Sinn Féin general election candidate has said that at times during the week he felt ashamed to be in the same trade as these gombeen politicians.

“This past few weeks we witnessed eight Ministers resign, all too comfortable in the knowledge that they will receive full pensions,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Mary Harney will earn €325,000 for her decision to retire, considerably more than she would have earned if she had of been re-elected to the next Dail. Brian Cowen stepped down as leader of his party but felt that he was still good enough to lead the state.  To cap it all off, Fianna Fail, the Greens, Fine Gael and Labour have all got cosy again to push through the dreadful finance bill, which now includes a clause to block the proposed end of tax exemptions for the elite, but still carries through outrageous cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage.  No wonder we are the laughing stock of world affairs.”

Cllr Kelly said that his party were one hundred percent opposed to this double standard practice and promised that when elected to Leinster House, he would strive to root out this nonsense and to introduce Sinn Féin’s proposed political reform plan.  “No wonder people are saying that they will spoil their votes rather than vote for these people,” Cllr Kelly said, “I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t vote for the chancer’s either.  We need a new political system in this country which will restore people’s faith in their elected reps.  We need political reform and the restoration of the aims of 1916; to create a republic of equals.  I see no equality in a system where Mary Harney, an incompetent minister who made a complete mess of her portfolio gets paid 325,000, while thousands of unemployed citizens are cut by €8, and vitally needed hospital beds are closed to pay for it.”

Kelly warns against liberalising postal services.

Cllr Anthony Kelly has strongly criticised new legislation which seeks to open up the Irish postal sector to competition.  The County Wexford Sinn Féin candidate in the coming election warned that the bill would create a situation where our postal service could be privatised which would see the obligation on companies to provide a six day service fall victim to profits.

“Currently An Post offers an excellent service, boosted by the universal service obligation which provides us with six day delivery and collection,” Cllr Kelly said.  “The architects of this bill would assure us all that its success will not mean the end of the universal service obligation, but looks what happened in Britain where a similar bill was passed and similar promises were made by its authors.  The English government promised that privatisation would not spell the end for six day service, but now it has emerged that provision of six day service is dependent on profit margins, meaning that if a postal company can prove its losing money, then they can end their universal service obligation.  What is to stop that from happening here?”

Cllr Kelly admitted that he knew of no immediate plans to privatise An Post but warned that the EU and IMF had these designs in mind.  “It’s clear to me that the EU/IMF bail-out for the banks will demand the privatisation of many of our states assets in return.  If An Post is to be asset stripped that will mean a much poorer postal service for the people of this state, and the almost certain end of six day delivery and collection services in rural Ireland.  Sinn Féin will vote against this bill and all similar bills aimed at stripping this country bare.”

"Good riddance to Harney & co. - Lets take our county back" says Sinn Féin hopeful, Kelly

Sinn Féin general election candidate, Cllr. Anthony Kelly, has called
on the people of County Wexford to "take their county back"

He was speaking in advance of a rally of Sinn Féin members in North
Wexford which was held in The Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey on Monday
evening (24th) and in the wake of the departure of Health Minister,
Mary Harney from office during the past week.
He said:

"We in Sinn Féin Loch Garman have for many years been campaigning for
the upgrading of Wexford General Hospital and have been fighting to
have the existing services protected.  Health is a basic right in any
republic.  We've always argued for an end to the present two-tiered
system; one waiting list for all in a public health service free at the
point of entry."

Addressing Minister Harney who stepped down during the week, Cllr. Kelly said:

"I'm sure we speak for countless people on hospital trolleys this week
when we say good riddance!  You and your government have damaged the
health of this state for too long!  We now need to intensify the fight
to upgrade Wexford General so that those living in the Gorey district,
will never in the event of an accident or emergency, be forced to
chose between a long trip north to St.Vincents in Dublin or south
through traffic in New Ross to get to Waterford Hospital.

He claimed that the "latest INMO figures which showed that Wexford
General has lost a total of 39 beds had confirmed Sinn Féin's belief that a
process of downgrading by stealth has been taking place across our
health service."

"We in Sinn Fein have contradicted the lie that we don't have the
money to build a first class public health service.  We just need elect
parties who will burn the bondholders, tax those who can most afford
to pay and divert this money towards supporting public services."

Referring to the Finance Bill which gives legal effect to the Fianna
Fáil/Green budget, he slammed Fine Gael / Labour for seeking to have
it pushed through this week.  It attacks the most vulnerable with a plan
to slash 1 billion from our health service.  How can you support this
and then try to fool the people of County Wexford into thinking that
you are offering a real alternative?"

He concluded by urging "all progressive minded people, who yearn for
change and regardless of previous political affiliations to join with
Sinn Fein in the campaign over the coming weeks to take their county,
and indeed country back from the Gombeenmen and women who have sold it
out in recent years".