Fine Gael/Labour didn’t get the message from voters, says Gerry Adams

THE Fine Gael/Labour Government didn’t get the message delivered by voters in this year’s elections that showed huge gains by Sinn Féin, Gerry Adams told the party’s two-day think-in in Termonfeckin, County Louth, starting on Thursday.

That message, the Sinn Féin leader said, “is that citizens have rejected its agenda of relentless austerity and the unfair way it is penalising hard-working families and vulnerable people”.

“What is required, and what the voters very clearly told the Government in the elections, was that it needs to change the disastrous political path it has followed since assuming office in 2011.

“That path after all, is a clear betrayal of voters who were told, following the general election, that a new political era was at hand and that the business of government would change fundamentally.

“But nothing changed. In fact, the present Government quickly displayed the worst excesses of its Fianna Fáil predecessors. The old, discredited way of doing politics has continued.”

Gerry Adams added that many citizens feel betrayed in particular by the actions of the Labour Party “which broke almost every promise it made in the last election”.

The explanation for this was given by former Minister Pat Rabbitte, Gerry Adams reminded people, when he said:

“Well, you tend to say things like this during an election campaign, don’t you?” 

To huge applause, Gerry Adams said:

“Mr Rabbitte’s deeply cynical comment may yet serve as the epitaph for this Government.”

●  Martin McGuinness MLA, Gerry Adams TD, Mary Lou McDonald TD, Cllr Cathal King (Dublin South-West by-election candidate), Lynn Boylan MEP and Seán Crowe TD

The Taoiseach is now primarily focused on hanging on to “the bitter end of his term”, despite huge public opposition to the Government’s policies, Gerry Adams said.

“And Fine Gael and Labour are impervious to the obvious crippling effect on citizens and families of the Property Tax, Water Tax and a range of other stealth charges.

“Struggling families will not accept talk of a recovery unless they see evidence of it in their daily lives.”

Sinn Féin is deeply conscious of the difficulties facing the economy and the state’s financial position, Gerry Adams said, it does not subscribe to the doctrine known as “TINA” – “There Is No Alternative.”

Governments always have choices, the Sinn Féin leader and Louth TD said.

“Sinn Fein’s contention is that this government has, from the outset, made the wrong choices by piling the burden of cuts and increases onto the backs of ordinary people.

“For the last number of years, Sinn Féin has demanded that Budgets be underpinned by the principle of fairness – that those who can afford to pay the most, be asked to pay the most in terms of cuts, taxes and charges.

“Sinn Féin seeks, at all times, to have a view of the social consequences of budgetary measures. We consistently put forward credible, Alternative Budget proposals based on fairness. We will do the same this year and we will set the challenge for the Government to take on board our proposals.”

Sinn Féin will present its Alternative Budget in October, he said.

“This will again demonstrate how we can achieve a fair and equitable recovery which protects the most vulnerable and defends low-income and middle-income earners.

“It will spell out our continued opposition to the Water Tax and the Family Home Tax. We will argue for Budget resources to be targeted at supporting job creation and stimulating economic growth across all regions.

“Sinn Féin will seek the adoption of a housing policy which delivers the necessary social housing stock to meet the needs of those languishing on waiting lists. We will support those in mortgage arrears.

“We will oppose further cuts to the health budget, push for increased funding for mental health provision and for a resolution of the Government’s continuing Medical Cards debacle.

“Sinn Féin will continue to argue for radical political and institutional reform which addresses the lack of accountability and transparency within the Oireachtas, Government departments and in the policing and justice system.”

Over the forthcoming Dáil term, citizens can be sure of one thing, Gerry Adams pledged.

“Sinn Féin will continue to robustly hold this Fine Gael/Labour Government to account.

“We will continue to honour the mandate we received – to defend the interests of those on low and middle incomes, to protect and support the most vulnerable of our citizens, to continue developing credible, alternative policies and to show that there is a better, fairer way of doing things.”