Gerry Adams’ contradictory statements on health spending prove yet again he has no head for figures, Fine Gael TD Peter Burke has said.
Deputy Burke said the most basic grasp of financial management requires a sound understanding of economics, and Gerry Adams displayed further blissful ignorance of this in the Dáil last week.
“In its pre-Budget submission, Sinn Féin proposed a budget increase of €500m – over €180m short of what was agreed in Budget 2018,” Deputy Burke said.
“Today, Gerry Adams called for an additional €1.1 billion to be spent in Budget 2018, a figure that was not provided for in his party’s alternative plan. Mr Adams seemed completely unaware that his own party’s figures fell far short of what he was calling for until it was pointed out to him by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.”
Deputy Burke continued to savage Sinn Féin, calling Adams’ proposal “yet another indicator of how the amateur and careless economics of Sinn Féin would ruin the country if they were ever in Government”.
Deputy Burke said Budget 2018 delivers better access, more help for families, and more supports for disability, mental health, and older and vulnerable people.
“An additional €685million is being allocated to health in Budget 2018, bringing it up to €15.3 billion, the biggest increase we have seen in a decade and the biggest health budget the State has ever seen,” he commented.
“In the run up to and aftermath of this Budget alone, Sinn Féin’s alternative policies have revealed the party to be anti-health, anti-jobs and anti-business, as well as reconfirming their position as the high tax party. Their alternative budget proposed €2 billion in tax hikes. With their additional levy on incomes over €100,000 by seven per cent in each euro, they would discourage the very kind of high quality jobs we are trying to attract to Ireland.
