Sinn Féin’s Alternative Budget 2019 is about lifting the cost-of-living burden from ordinary people to invest in their full potential with public services that they deserve.
Our alternative budget shows clearly how services can be provided, as well as helping to reduce the cost-of-living burden. The budget is always about choices and making the right ones. Others are trying to present a choice between improving key services and helping hard working families cope.
The cost-of-living crisis exists because of Government policies and priorities. Sinn Féin has set out fully-costed measures to tackle this through increased investment in education, housing, health, agriculture, support for enterprise development, and job creation.
The additional revenue raised by closing tax loopholes, increasing betting tax and introducing a levy on incomes over €140,000, among other measures, can be allocated to:
- Open 500 fully staffed hospital beds
- Halve the cost of childcare
- Add one million hours of personal assistance
- Increase respite services
- Provide an additional €51 million for mental health services
- Introduce a redress scheme of €7.5 million for homeowners affected by pyrite and mica
- Add €1bn capital spend on social and affordable housing
This alternative clearly outlines how an additional €154 million can be spent on Education. Investment in Education is a priority for Sinn Féin. We know from recent World Bank Reports that this investment will generate a return of up to 40 times the initial spend. This includes €7.7 million on school transport for those who are termed concessionary students which is very important for rural communities.
There is no question that the Irish economy is in a stronger place than on the eve of the bank guarantee in September and in the years that followed. However, the experience of countless families today isn’t one of change, security, stability or prosperity in their home. Overall, Irish families will pay 25% more to live day-to-day than the average family in the Euro area. This has to change by progressive budgeting.
