REACTION:FIANNA FÁIL described the programme for government agreed between Fine Gael and Labour as a fudge, saying it was hazy and vague on costing and implementation.
Niall Collins, the party’s deputy for Limerick, said the incoming coalition would push out the time period for deficit reduction, and had diluted commitments on taxation and political reform.
“We set out a four-year plan that was credible. What we have heard from [Fine Gael and Labour] has been a complete fudge. They seem to have split the difference between them on all the big ticket items,” he said.
Speaking on RTÉ, Mr Collins contended there was no specific commitment to an overall budgetary adjustment of €9 billion, which was a very important figure.
He claimed the incoming government would increase taxes, make more expenditure cuts, remove more public service jobs and end up bailing out the banks again.
Asked was this not the same as would happen if the outgoing government’s plan was adopted, he said: “Fianna Fáil did it in a structured manner that has been accepted by our European partners and has been costed. The [new government] have signed up for the first two years of a four-year programme and left the other two years [vague],” he said.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams yesterday said the incoming government would “broadly implement Fianna Fáil’s four-year plan”. Mr Adams said his party was determined to “hold the new government to account”.
“Many of those who voted for Labour, in particular, on the promise of change will be bitterly disappointed today.
“The programme for government is bad news for low and middle income families. It is bad news for the low paid, those on welfare, and public sector workers. The continuation of an austerity approach means a further depressing of the economy and gives very little hope that jobs will be created for the unemployed.”
He said Sinn Féin would vigorously oppose any more public money being put into banks and would campaign for a reverse to the universal social charge.
The five United Left Alliance TDs said yesterday the new government offered “more of the same” as did the Fianna Fáil-led Government that had been voted out.
