Labour coalition with Fine Gael looks like unsteady partnership

Today Labour and Fine Gael released their alternative budget plans to the public in Dublin.

Both parties say they would reverse the cut in the minimum wage and increase DIRT tax to get people spending rather than saving. However that is where the similarities end.

 

Fine Gael said a Capital Gains Tax on property sales - including family homes, but not for those in negative equity - should be imposed rather than a property tax. It also said no income tax hikes would take place, though people would pay more with changes to credits and bands from 2012.
The party said it can make more savings through expenditure cuts, but would hike motor tax and increase the price of alcohol.

 

Labour offered a different view, stating no welfare cuts, a new 48% tax rate, higher taxes on second homes and cuts in reliefs are planned.

 

Despite the obvious differences in the two parties proposals, Eamon Gilmore has ruled out a "government of the left", saying he will not enter government with Sinn Féin. This means if they plan on entering government, Labour must do as the junior partner to a Fine Gael party that is very clear in its intention to introduce cuts to welfare.

A third of our young people planning to emigrate

One in three people aged between 18 and 24 are planning on emigrating in the next year, according to a new poll by Lansdowne Milward Browne for the Irish Examiner.

According to those carrying out the survey, this new generation of Irish emigrants are less likely to return home due to the advancement of technology, allowing people to maintain easier contact with family and friends. This would be disastrous for the future of our nation, experts say.

More than 65,000 people left Ireland over the past year, the highest rate since 1989.

Red C poll puts Sinn Féin ahead of Fianna Fail

A new Red C poll in todays Irish Sun puts Sinn Féin ahead of Fianna Fail in public support.

The new poll puts Sinn Féin on 16%, while Fianna Fail fall to 13%. With the Greens on 3%, this means that Sinn Féin now has as much support as the combined government coalition!

Full Poll

Fianna Fail   - 13%
Fine Gael     - 32%
Labour        - 24%
Sinn Féin     - 16%
Greens        -  3%
Independents/others  - 11%

Dilapidated schools lose repair funding

OVERCROWDED and dilapidated primary schools will lose €62m of the money they were supposed to get for building works this year.

Education Minister Mary Coughlan said that the money would not be speant due to delays caused by difficulties in the construction industry.

Very low tender prices quoted by some builders had been part of the problem, leading to delays in bringing projects to conclusion. The minister said in some cases the department had challenged quotes because they felt that builders would not be able to deliver the job at the price.

Another difficulty the department encountered was confirming the availability of a bond prior to a contract being awarded, as a result of uncertainty in the banking sector.
She said there were also increasing examples of contractors, sub-contractors and other professionals associated with school building projects going out of business while they were engaged on school projects.

Sinn Féin has called for unemployed construction workers to be taken on by a new state construction organisation, and put to work on Irelands much damaged infrastructure.

Sinn Féin "poverty" survey to be delivered to Leinster House

Sinn Féin have put together a survey of their members and supporters in the greater Dublin area to ascertain the true extent to which families are struggling financially and are being pushed into the hand of money lenders.

Sinn Féin called for the reintroduction of the Christmas Welfare Bonus to stop families being forced to go to moneylenders, and to boost the local economy. They are also the only representative party in the Dail who oppose the introductions of mass cuts in the next budget.

The party has also surveyed Dublin dole queues and post offices over the past two weeks to get a fuller picture of the hardships being endured by ordinary families this winter.

The research findings will be presented at the gates of Leinster House this morning by Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Social Protection Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Unimaginative Greens say no alternative to Bail out

Green party Minister for State Ciaran Cuffe has said that there was no alternative to accepting an €85 billion bail out from the EU/IMF.

The Green party attempted to pull out of government last week, but have been less than vocal with any criticism they might have of Fianna Fails four year plan.

Ferris slams reduction to minimum wage

Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris has condemned Fianna Fail's planned cuts to the minimum wage, and has suggested that excuses made by Brian Cowen for introducing the cuts are a "red herring"

Deputy Ferris said: "As Mark Twain once said there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics.’ Comparing the minimum wage rate in this country to that of most EU states is a red herring. I wonder would the Taoiseach like to make a similar comparison between his salary and the salaries of most EU prime ministers or heads of state?

Cowen: Cutting minimum wage will not save country any money

Taoiseach Brian Cowen admitted in the Dail today that cuts to the minimum wage will not save any money for the Exchequer.
Mr Cowen made this startling revelation after being grilled by Eamon Gilmore. He reacted to his admission by stating that the cuts to the minimum wage might create jobs for unskilled and semi skilled workers.