Trail of broken promises from Fine Gael & Labour – Chambers

Fianna Fáil Press Office
Cllr Jack Chambers
Dublin West

14 February 2016

Trail of broken promises from Fine Gael & Labour – Chambers

Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin West Cllr Jack Chambers maintains that Fine Gael and Labour “have left a trail of broken promises during their term of office. Speaking following the launch of the Fine Gael manifesto, Cllr Chambers pointed out that the list of broken promises was frightening.

Top 10 Broken Promises

1. Promise – Protecting core social welfare rates including child benefit

Reality – The Government cut Child Benefit in 2013 by €10.00 to €130.00.

2. Promise – No Water Charges

Reality – €750m has been wasted on setting up Irish Water which did not even pass the Eurostat test. Households must pay up to €260 on water charges.

3. Promise – No increase in third level fees

Reality – The Third Level student charge has increased to €3,000, up €1,000 since 2011.

4. Promise – Implement Universal Health Insurance

Reality – The Cabinet & Minister Varadkar completely abandoned UHI in November 2015

5. Promise – No property tax

Reality – The Local Property Tax was introduced in 2013

6. Promise – “Not another red cent” into the banks

Reality – €19 bn was put into the banks by July 31 ^st 2011.

7. Promise – Force bondholders to pay

Reality – As of February 2013  €16 billion in unsecured unguaranteed bonds have been paid out by the Government. No unilateral bond burning occurred.

8. Promise – Introduce real political reform

Reality – Seanad remains unchanged, Friday sittings are a farcical window dressing with only a handful of bills accepted, and bills still guillotined.

9. Promise – Tackle the mortgage arrears crisis

Reality –Almost 100,000  families are in arrears overall, 38,000 for over two years.

10. Promise – Tackle waste in the public service such as cutting quangos

Reality – Less than 50 of the 145 quangos promised to be culled have actually been abolished while the government has routinely breached its own special adviser salary caps.
“It’s easy to make promises on the campaign trail, but the facts don’t lie,” added Cllr. Chambers. “Fianna Fáil has an independently costed and completely verified alternative to offer the Irish public. A vision that cares for all our citizens. An Ireland for all, not just the 30% who will benefit from Fine Gael’s proposals.”

-ENDS-