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Updated 10.35pm
TÁNAISTE JOAN BURTON has sharply criticised Sinn Féin this morning, saying that giving the party responsibility for the economy would be as bad as the country returning to the Troika bailout.
The new Labour leader was responding to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’s claim last week that she was an “architect of austerity” who is no different to her predecessor Eamon Gilmore.
“In my view if people were to give control of the economy to Sinn Féin then they might as well hand the keys of the country back to the Troika,” she told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
She said that the think-tank the ESRI had validated the government’s claim that core rates of social welfare have been protected over the last three years.
In a further attack on Sinn Féin she claimed that the party is “relentlessly opposed to any measures that help people back to work”.
“It’s almost as if they want a welfare economy rather than a working, vibrant economy,” she said.
The Tánaiste was speaking as Labour gathers for its parliamentary party think-in in Wexford today with the latest Red C opinion poll showing its support up one point.
Asked to highlight the difference between her and Eamon Gilmore, Burton said: ”We come from the same political party but I believe my focus has always been, both as an opposition TD, as a government minister, and now as leader is to to focus relentlessly on getting people back to work.”
On proposals for a ‘return-to-work dividend’ for parents who move off the social welfare system and into employment, Burton said it is a proposal that Fine Gael supports.
She explained: “I want to move to a situation where individuals and people with children move back to work.
“They get an additional incentive to tie them over the period when there’s a bit of uncertainty – moving from welfare to work – and they maintain extra supports.”
Burton said that the biggest difficulty facing people unemployed is being out of work long-term and having a “a gap in their CV”. She said the proposed scheme, likely to cost around €20 million, is “not hugely costly”.
Burton also said she would “of course” like to see Gilmore and another former Labour leader and ex-minister Pat Rabbitte run at the next general election.
She said both were dropped from Cabinet in the reshuffle last July as she was “anxious to include some of the younger members”.
Response
Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald TD said that Burton’s comments are “an attempt to gloss over the Labour Party’s failure, in government, to deliver for ordinary people”.
Deputy McDonald said:
I am a confident that those people who have suffered under the Labour Party in government will see through Joan Burton’s attack on Sinn Féin. I think the Tánaiste’s comments were clearly designed to deflect from her party’s failure to deliver since entering coalition in 2011. I would assert that it is fairly disingenuous of the leader of the Labour Party to say that Sinn Féin wants to see a ‘welfare economy’ when we have time and again presented strategies and ideas for getting our people back to work.
“Joan Burton, as leader of the Labour Party, will face her first real test with the forthcoming budget,” said McDonald.
First published 9.45am
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Fair play. She genuinely seems to be a caring person. Love her work for literacy too.
Don’t laugh now, but Dolly Parton is a true hero of our times. She is a remarkable woman at every level and has done huge amounts of charity work, invested millions in the impoverished local community she came from, has been influential in women’s rights and gsy rights and has written at least 2 all time classic songs.
@Connoroconner: it’s true! If you dig below the surface you quickly realise how remarkable she is.
@Aisling: there was a Sky tv show ‘Brian Johnstons Life on the Road’ which featured an extended interview with her. Brian, front man for AC/DC, and i think he was in love by the end of the show. It captures what a warm, beautiful person she is and shows what a great sense of humour she has too. Worth a watch if you can track it down.
@Connoroconner: I’m only going to disagree with you about the last part. Its way more than 2 all time classics. Huge Dolly fan here.
@Barry Vickers: well i also thinks it’s more, but for the general non country music fan, there are 2 they would know. That’s why I said at least 2!
Any sign of Bonio or Bob?
@MollyMsalone: Bono actually added to people’s misery by signing a song for them.
@MollyMsalone: Give Bob a break. He’s made mistakes, but he’s a righteous dude.
@Tordel Back: Hes a dose.
@MollyMsalone: leave him out of this…. We are suffering enough without listening to him!
@Damien: To be fair, he’s both a righteous dude and a dose simultaneously. First bit’s more important.
@Tordel Back: “self righteous “ dude you mean . Dolly Parton can sing intelligible songs and donate substantial money to help people . Bono/Geldoff do neither, but in their imagination think they were important to Ireland’s “ progress “ , God help us !
@MollyMsalone:
Bonzo and Boob more like.
I heard that Paddy Power is donating 1 Billion from the gambling profits:
The world has never deserved Dolly Parton. A truly decent person.
Working 9 to 5 for a way to make a vaccine
Thank you dolly, can u imagine if every millionaire and billionaires donated a mill each all over the world
Closer to home a huge thank you to a Conor MCGregor for his 1m donation to aid Irish hospitals in this crisis.
@New Remedy Europe: spot on . A lot of people knock connor . But he is a top man . Didn’t he give some kid 10 k who needed an operation recently ?
The world doesn’t deserve Dolly Parton!
Between her literacy program, giving financial assistance to those impacted by the Tennessee fires and now this (as well the other work through her foundation) the woman is a bonafide saint!
Wheres Bono , Geldof , JP McManus , Magnier , D.O.B ?????
Holed up in their caves counting their money
@Declan Cosgrave: are they doctors ?? Money is not an issue for governments so unless they are doctors we dont need anything from them
@Declan Cosgrave: McManus and Magnier have donated something like €80 million to charity in the last two years.
@Jono: “Money is not an issue for governments”
With a national debt of well over €200 billion, money is most certainly an issue for our government and for all of us who ultimately must pay such a colossal bill.
@Will: yeah if you class horse racing and GAA as charities. I’d prefer if they’d pay their taxes here.
@Connoroconner: McManus has a charitable fund he set up years ago to help with all sorts of good causes. There’s a website that goes into the details of it.
The money is used for healthcare, education, sport etc. Lots of small charities in McManus’s part of the country depend on it.
Fair enough, be nice if he paid his taxes here but ask yourself, if you, as a billionaire, could half your tax bill by moving residence would you still stand on principle?
@Will: yes I like to think I’d consider it the patriotic thing to do. How many billions does one person need? Michael O Leary and Bono, despite the abuse he gets, continue to pay their personal income taxes here when they could easily choose not to.
@Declan Cosgrave:
And Paddy Power too.
It’s good to see reports of millionaires ACTUALLY donating. Too often I see the journal blowing up the headline for a “pledge” or a “promise” or a “plan” than never happens. Like the Notre Dam fire, loads came out to pledge money, few really coughed up.
Not everyone wants to publicly announce their donations..food for thought
Good on her for the gesture but realistically money won’t solve this. Medics already have unlimited access to funds. Unfortunately it’s gonna take a lot of time.
What more good things can we say about Dolly Parton.
Bill Gates has enough millions. He doesn’t need Dolly’s.
BOB AND BONO are organising a fund raiser.
And people say she’s just a big pair of t-ts.
Working 9 to 5 (from home)
she has Hugh assets
And people say shes just a big pair of tits
Are her big pair of tits to named bob and bono?
have your say