General Election 2020

GE2020: Fianna Fáil's Byrne claims SF tax plans 'will cost jobs in Louth'

Fianna Fáil Councillor James Byrne slates Sinn Féin tax plans

Fianna Fáil general election candidate Cllr James Byrne, has said that Sinn Féin’s plan to "hike taxes on local businesses will lead to job losses in Louth and put undue pressure on local employers." 

Cllr Byrne in a statement today has expressed "grave concern" about Sinn Féin’s proposed tax plans, claiming that the party is planning increases of almost €4 billion a year, and saying that the "huge hike in tax on businesses will deter much needed investment in the region." 

“Why would anyone start a business with such staggering tax hikes for businesses? How can we attract big international employers to Ireland if we are adding another €1 billion in taxes on multinationals?,” said Cllr Byrne. 

“We need to be encouraging entrepreneurship, supporting local businesses and enticing multinationals to Louth and the North East region. Instead, Sinn Féin wants to make life even more difficult for small local employers and scare multinationals off completely", he continued.

Cllr Byrne in his statement said that:

“Sinn Féin plans to bring in €3.8 billion in tax increases – piling a staggering €1.2 billion tax increases on jobs and job creation.  They also want to hike stamp duty on commercial property to 12.5%, which will hit farmers and the sale of agricultural land.  This says a lot about their lack of commitment to local farmers. 

“Small and medium sized business in Louth are already struggling with the increasing cost of running a business.  The reality is that Ireland is lagging behind when it comes to SME supports and the situation is particularly bad in the border region.  We need to act immediately to help local businesses create more jobs in our communities."

Referring to his own party's manifesto, Cllr Byrne said:

“Fianna Fáil has outlined extensive plans to grow local businesses in Louth and across the country, while also creating further incentives for Foreign Direct Investment in the North East region.  If elected to government, we will set up a SME Growth Taskforce that will create a masterplan for small and medium businesses over the next decade.”