Blaney Rejects Mc Hugh's Dismissal of The Finance Bill
Donegal North East Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney has rejected comments by Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh that the Fianance Bill gives ‘no hope’. 15/02/10The Bill, which was discussed in Dáil Eireann last week, is pro-enterprise, pro-business and provides for the necessary savings that the country needs to make in order to get back on track, he said.
“The Finance Bill is the next step in the Governments commitment to get the economy back on track. The act contains a number of pro business measures including a tax exemption on the income and gains of new start-up companies over the first 3 years; the expansion the tax credit for R&D; Tax incentives to make Ireland a more attractive place in which to do business; The Removal of the insurance levy from life insurance products; A reduction of VAT; and the reduction of excise duty on alcohol.”
“Over the last 18 months the Government has cut public spending by 8 billion. Had we not done so, the deficit would have ballooned towards 20 per cent of GDP - a level at which the very financial survival of this country would have been at risk.
“ In all our actions, our concern has been to protect jobs, to provide a functioning banking system and to return this economy to the path of sustainable growth. Our approach to tacking the economic crisis has won plaudits from international commentators including the European Commission and the European Central Bank. Indeed the only people who can’t seem to admit that we are taking the right approach to are members of the opposition, such as Deputy McHugh.”
“Fine Gael lauded George Lee for the last months as their economic messiah yet Mr Lee said this week that FG is ‘nowhere near home in relation to the policy mix we will need to get the country out of this mess’”
“Fianna Fáil in Government is taking the tough decisions needed to help Ireland recover from this downturn and our efforts were recognised as such in Brussels last week. Deputy McHugh should take a proper look at the Finance Bill before criticising it,” concluded Niall Blaney TD.
