‘Sinn Féin’s nonsensical economic policy will hike taxes and cost us jobs’ - Barry Cowen

Barry Cowen TD, Fianna Fáil European Election Candidate in the Midlands North West, has today warned Sinn Féin’s economic policy will cost Ireland jobs and see taxes soar.

Deputy Cowen says it would cost the Irish economy ‘€1.5 billion just to stand still’ if Sinn Féin are elected to government, with taxpayers bearing the burden of the opposition party’s economic policy, which would have catastrophic effects on jobs and exports.

Deputy Cowen said: “There's a €1.5 billion gap in Sinn Féin’s figures, along with, amongst other things, the scrapping of the carbon tax, which is €600 million, the scrapping of property tax, which is €400 million.

“There’s gap in their figures in relation to housing output. They say a house can be constructed for €250,000, when the Department of Housing will tell you it's €308,000 - that's another gap of around €209 million. I saw the Business Post found another €250 million. 

“So it's €1.5 billion just to stand still. And how do they recoup that? The only way they know - taxing jobs. If you tax jobs, you lose jobs. If you tax work, you lose revenue. If you tax work, you lose exports.

“That's the biggest threat to my region and to this country in my mind, because that will spook business, industry and commerce and lose readymade income that is available to us. Prudent management of the economy is essential, and that’s evident in the work Finance Minister Michael McGrath and others have done. 

“That's the biggest threat to this country, to jobs, to the stability that we have today. By electing Sinn Féin all you’ll get is them talking out of both sides of their mouths and achieving nothing.”

-ENDS-