General Election 2020
GE2020: Munster ‘completely refutes’ FF claims that SF manifesto will cost jobs in Louth
SF TD Imelda Munster responds to claims made by FF Cllr James Byrne
by Donard McCabe
Louth Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster says she "completely refutes" the allegations, made by Cllr James Byrne, that the party’s manifesto "will cost jobs".
SF general election candidate Imelda Munster, who is the party’s business spokesperson, was reacting to a statement released by Cllr Byrne on Friday.
The Dundalk Democrat contacted Deputy Munster for a response to the claims made by Cllr Byrne. In her response, Ms Munster said that:
"It’s almost laughable to see Cllr. Byrne coming out with this stuff just eight days before the people of Louth and East Meath go to the polls. It’s laughable because it’s so predictable from a Fianna Fáil candidate.
"All of Sinn Féin’s manifesto plans have been fully costed and we make no apologies for being the party who wants a fair and equal society for all, not just the vested interests.
"In order to create that society, the richest corporations and multi-nationals and the banks will have to pay their fair share of taxes on their massive profits. We are not sorry for doing that because our priority is working families and communities, who have endured years and years of cuts, thanks to Cllr. Byrne’s party wrecking the economy.
"People in Louth continue to pay for Fianna Fáil’s excesses, and the cuts imposed by them, by Fianna Fáil and the Fine Gael and Labour government".
Deputy Munster added:
"At every step over the last four years Cllr. Byrne’s party and Fine Gael have sided with landlords, developers, insurance companies and vulture funds. And our people have been left the poorer for it. Successive governments have delivered for their friends and cronies. They have delivered for big business, for vested interests and for golden circles.
"And it is not because of Sinn Féin that farmers have been protesting over the last number of months. We have committed to take on the cartel-like beef processing sector that is pushing family farms out of business, reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) so that it supports the farmers who need it the most.
"Sinn Féin makes no apologies for refocusing the economy to ensure that work pays for families, rather than families paying for the economy," Deputy Munster concluded.