PLANNED CUTS IN SOCIAL WELFARE WOULD PLUNGE FAMILIES INTO WELL OF POVERTY

PLANNED CUTS IN SOCIAL WELFARE WOULD PLUNGE FAMILIES INTO WELL OF POVERTY 

According to Labour's Keith Martin the government's proposal for a cut of €1.3bn in the Social Welfare Budget would devastate the social welfare system, lead to greater inequality in Irish life and plunge those who are already on the lowest of incomes into an even deeper well of poverty. 

"The Labour Party acknowledges the burden on the national finances created by the increase in the social welfare budget over recent years, but the most effective way to reduce the bill is to get people back to work.   

"A reduction of €1.3bn in the social welfare budget could not be achieved without cutting some or all basic social welfare rates.  

"A cut of €1.3bn would represent a reduction of around 6% in the overall social welfare budget.  If this were to be applied across the board, it would bring the basic rate of jobseekers allowance down to a little over €192 per week. 

"Those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and those who have worked all their lives and are now on pension, should not be required to pay the price for the recklessness of bankers and for Fianna Fail's mismanagement of the economy over the past twelve years. 

"Throughout the past year the mantra from Brian Cowen, Brian Lenihan and others in Fianna Fail has been that 'We are all in this together, and that we will all have to share the burden'.  However, it is clear from statements of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance that the three sectors that are the key targets are - those on social welfare; those who work in the public service; and those who depend on public services. 

In last year's budget Mr. Lenihan spurned the opportunity to raise significant additional revenue by closing the massive tax reliefs available to the super wealthy and ending the scandal of tax exiles.   

All the signs are that Fianna Fail will again opt to make their primary targets ordinary workers and those on social welfare. 

Keith Martin 086 0691182

URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF TOURISM SURVIVAL ACTION PLAN NEEDED

URGENT IMPLEMENTATION OF TOURISM SURVIVAL ACTION PLAN NEEDED  

Labour's Keith Martin has called on the Government to immediately implement the survival actions recommended by the Tourism Renewal Group, and not merely set up another quango to oversee the implementation of the report. 

"The Government commissioned its own report in the crisis facing the Tourism Sector. The document published by the Tourism Renewal Group is a comprehensive strategy which sets out the scale of the challenges facing the sector.  

"We in Westport all know how important Tourism is to our local economy and natinoally it accounts for €1.5 billion of tax revenues and employs over 120,000. The industry is in freefall with 600,000 fewer foreign visitors so far in 2009 compared with the first 8 months in 2008. The drop of more than 123,000 visitors in August, which is a key month for tourism, and the further decline in the number of visitors from Britain – long our most reliable market – are particularly worrying.  

"We need immediate implementation of the action plans in the five survival issues. These need to be implemented to stabilise the industry and ensure its survival into the future. Instead of immediate action from Government we have another quango to be established to oversee implementation.  

"This type of Fianna Fail bluster is not acceptable. The Government's own Report has recommended a survival plan. It is now incumbent on the Government to deliver on the recommendations. 

"We do not need another committee, we need immediate action. Fianna Fáil has become masters at kicking to touch on concrete actions by calling for more reviews, etc. This nonsense must end and we need immediate action to help this industry survive - an industry which is on its knees." 

ENDS.

Keith Martin 086 0691182

Lisbon passed

Delighted with result on Lisbon! Europe has been great for Ireland and now we are stronger together. Time will prove that the concerns of the NO side are not justified or grounded in fact. We are proud to be an island race but that doesn't mean we should be insular. We are leaders not followers in the EU and now it's time to move on.




-- Post From My iPhone

Red flag flies today

Am flying the red flag of Internationist Socialist Youth from my flagpole today in celebration of the Lisbon vote.



-- Post From My iPhone