Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has said the government should be listening to the Irish people and not to Brussels bureaucrats.
Pearse Doherty
Doherty was responding to the EU Commission’s latest report on Ireland which called for no let-up in austerity.
Deputy Doherty said, “Only two weeks ago the Irish people delivered a clear message that they could take no more austerity.
“The government must heed that voice and not hide behind the EU Commission which has been the most vocal of pro-austerity voices in Europe throughout this crisis.
“It is easy for the EU Commission based hundreds of miles away to say there should be no easing of the burden on the Irish people. Labour and Fine Gael have no such excuse.
“The Report calls for more taxes and is worryingly attacking the nature of some welfare benefits.
“The government must rule out these options and point out to Brussels that they cannot ignore the votes of the Irish people.
“The Commission is right to point out that there are still issues in the Health service, legal services and mortgage arrears which this government is failing to tackle.
Doherty believes its overall message of more austerity flies in the face of the recent seismic shift in electoral politics in Ireland.
Doherty concluded, “The Commission have their job to do but so does this government- it must stand up to Brussels and tell them the days of dictated austerity are over.
“The folly of signing up to an ever increasing budgetary control from Brussels is now becoming clearer than ever.
“The mandate given to Sinn Fein’s four MEPs shows that the Irish people are not inclined to accept Brussels’ word so easily.
“The government should heed that message and change direction away from more disastrous austerity.
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