Opposition colluding with FF, says Adams

SINN FÉIN CLAIM: FINE GAEL, Labour and the Greens were colluding with Fianna Fáil on the Finance Bill because they wanted the…

SINN FÉIN CLAIM:FINE GAEL, Labour and the Greens were colluding with Fianna Fáil on the Finance Bill because they wanted the Budget provisions in place before the election, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has said.

Speaking outside Leinster House, he refused to accept that he had a poor understanding of economic issues. “People know when someone is talking practical sense and someone is trying to give leadership,” he said.

Criticising the agreement on a timetable for the Finance Bill, he said:  “The  other so-called parties of the Opposition have colluded with Fianna Fáil to facilitate this Finance Bill and to facilitate this farcical government plan to stay in power for another few days.

“They are doing it because they want the Budget ringfenced before the election. They are actively denying citizens any say in what shape of fiscal policy will emerge for the year 2011.” On Sinn Féin policy, he said: “We would cut the connection between the sovereign debt and the private debt of the golden circle of the bankers and their friends. We would then proceed to let the banks sort out their mess, we would close Anglo Irish, close Nationwide, we would bring together the AIB and the Bank of Ireland.”

Deaglán  De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún, a former Irish Times journalist, is a contributor to the newspaper