Wicklow Sinn Féin to launch 'Tax Wealth Not Homes' campaign

Wicklow Sinn Féin are to launch their campaign 'Tax wealth not Homes'
campaign on Thursday 13 December in John Joe's, Arklow at 7.30pm. The
details of the budget and the alternatives will also be discussed.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the 'Tax wealth Not Homes campaign'
Arklow Sinn Fein representative James Charlton said Sinn Féin is
opposed to the government’s tax on the family home. The Government
call it a property tax– But it is a tax on the family home, full stop.
It is clear that the government is prepared to use all means to take
this tax from struggling families. It is unacceptable. It must be
stopped, Sinn féin will campaign against this tax and we are launching
the Wicklow campaign on Thursday 13 December in Arklow at 7.30pm in
John Joe's."

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady said "Many families up
and down the country will not be able to pay the home tax, there are
160,000 distressed mortgages at the moment and people cant afford a
home tax on top of everything else. Sinn Féin will be actively
campaigning to resist the introduction of this unfair tax on the
family home.
Sinn Féin has an alternative that is fair. A wealth tax – that is
levied on the property of the wealthy. The government had the option
of a real wealth tax and chose not to take it.
Instead Labour/Fine Gael chose to impose a punitive tax on the family home."

James Charlton concluded "Sinn Féin is calling on every citizen to
make a stand and resist the imposition of this unfair home tax. I
believe there is time to get the government to reverse this decision.
If the government is allowed to legislate for it, then it will be the
tipping point for many families across the state. We will be launching
our campaign on Thursday and we will be actively campaigning against
the tax right across the County."

Wicklow's Government TD's given their P45's by the people of Wicklow

Wicklow Sinn Féin on behalf of Wicklow residents delivered P45's to
Wicklow's government TD's at a protest held on Saturday last which was
against the austerity budget.

Speaking after Saturdays protest Councillor John Brady said "The
budget was about priorities and choices. There was scope for Fine Gael
and Labour to deliver a budget that was fair and to enact measures
that would protect ordinary families. However, the Government decided
to attack those on low to middle incomes while ring-fencing the
wealthy. Many promises given to the people of Wicklow and across the
state have been broken by this government and by Wicklow's 4
government TD's.”

Cllr Brady continued "At the large protest on Saturday i delivered
P45's to both Simon Harris and Anne Ferris from the people of Wicklow.
The four Government TD's in Wicklow received a mandate from the people
and they promised to do things different to the last Fianna Fáil one.
However they have hit Wicklow residents with a tax on the family home,
more PRSI, cuts to child benefit, increased college registration fees
and motor tax. I just don’t see where many of these families will find
the money to survive. They are still coping with the impact of this
Government’s last budget. The contract they entered with the people of
Wicklow has been breached and the 4 government TD's now have a choice
to reject the budget or fill in their P45's.”

Brady went onto say “The Labour Party in particular should be ashamed.
This is a party who claims that it stands up for working people and
defends the most vulnerable in society. Yet here we have more broken
promises from Gilmore & company. They made very loud vows not to cut
child benefit or to raise student fees prior to going into government.
However, they have simply flung these promises out the window. Anne
Ferris even had posters erected around Wicklow calling on people to
vote for her to protect child benefit, Anne Ferris has a lot of
explaining to do to people on the ground in the communities of Wicklow
who voted for her on that basis. Fianna Fáil would have been proud of
this budget as they designed a lot of these measures.”

Cllr Brady concluded “I don’t know how much more people can take. You
can sense the anger. People feel betrayed by the false promises given
to them before the last election, promises that have now been thrown
out the window."

Sinn Fein are to host a series of public events in Wicklow in opposition to the budget.

Sinn Fein are to host a series of public events in Wicklow in
opposition to the budget.

Speaking after Budget 2013 has been presented to the Dáil, Wicklow
Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady said he wants the public to know
exactly what it means for them.

Cllr Brady said “Over the weekend Sinn Fein will be holding a public
rally in Bray to allow people to hear first hand what this Budget
means for them and their families and to mobilise opposition to the
hugely unfair tax on the family home. This Government has little to be
proud of and they have matched Finna Fáil in terms of unfairness. They
have presented to us a Budget, which again reaches into the pockets of
lower and middle income earners while protecting those on higher
incomes. This budget is anti-children, anti-family and anti-jobs."

Arklow Sinn Féin representative James Charlton said “The Fine Gael and
Labour Government has stooped to new lows with the regressive tax on
the home – a tax which punishes working families and young couples in
negative equity, a tax which takes no account of the ability of people
to pay, a tax which will see those who cannot afford to pay chased to
the grave by the Government and charged interest for the luxury. We
realise that it is not enough to simply oppose this tax, to speak
empty words or to lead people up the garden path; credible, workable
and fair alternatives need to be put forward. On Thursday 13th
December we will hold a public meeting in Arklow at 7.30 in John Joe's
to give details about the budget and to launch our 'Tax Wealth, Not
Homes' campaign."

Cllr Brady added "A wealth tax of 1% on those with a net wealth of
over €1 million, such as that proposed by themselves, would generate
up to €800 million. Such a measure is in place in other countries such
as France, Spain and Iceland. We have published Wealth Tax Legislation
and intend to bring it before the Dáil at the earliest opportunity.
Sinn Féin opposes the government’s tax on the family home. We are now
calling on people to make a stand against the imposition of this
unfair home tax. There is time to get the government to reverse this
decision. This home tax is the brainchild of Fianna Fáil. If the
government is allowed to legislate for it, then it will be the tipping
point for families across the state. The government – Labour and Fine
Gael - are ignoring the plight of the people and together we must make
it clear to them that enough is enough. The budget has yet again
proven that this Government has not listened to the people; that it is
detached from the realities faced by ordinary families. This campaign
is an opportunity to send a clear message to this Government on behalf
of the people of Wicklow– Tax Wealth, not homes."

Brady went onto say "From 2008 to 2010 Labour and Fine Gael voted
against austerity budgets and attacked the policy. They promised
change- not one more red cent to the banks, protect child benefit and
so on……they didn’t mean it. They have implemented over €7 billion in
taxes and cuts after riding into office on a wave of public support
for an end to austerity. So much for the brand new dawn. They are
ignoring a fact that is as plain as day-austerity isn’t working. Now
they are bringing in a home tax, a cut in child benefit and an end to
the first part of every worker’s weekly wage not being taxed by PRSI.
These cuts and taxes will simply push many over the edge if they are
not opposed."

Brady and Charlton concluded “We are calling on individuals, community
representatives and activists to try attend either event to demand
fairness and make their voice heard on behalf of themselves and
vulnerable members of their community.”

Public events will be held on the following dates:

Rally Town Hall Bray
Saturday 8th December @1pm


Public meeting and launch of Tax Wealth, Not Homes Campaign
Thursday 13th December 7.30pm
John Joe's Arklow

Labour TD Anne Ferris was elected to the Dáil by lying to the people and she must resign - Brady

Wicklow Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady has called on Wicklow Labour
TD Anne Ferris to resign immediately from the Labour Party and from
the Dáil because of her party's support for the budget which includes
many cuts that will impact most on children and families.

Cllr Brady said "Before the last election the Labour party received a
mandate from the people of Wicklow and people like Anne Ferris were
elected to the Dáil based on guarantees that they would not cut child
benefit. They ran ads in the media and Anne Ferris even had special
posters printed and erected around Wicklow saying a vote for her would
be be vote to protect child benefit. I have spoken to many Wicklow
people who actually voted Labour and for Anne Ferris in the last
election because of their commitment not to cut child benefit and its
quite clear that she received a mandate from the people on that basis"

Cllr Brady continued "In the budget the Labour party have completely
ditched anything they ever stood for by pushing through these cuts
that will impact on families and children the hardest. The incomes of
households with children are already falling further and faster. The
CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions demonstrates that the
incomes of households with children fell five times more than the
incomes of childless households between 2009 and 2010"

Cllr Brady concluded "It is clear that Anne Ferris got elected to the
Dáil to represent the people of Wicklow by lying to them and i am now
calling on her to do the honorable thing and resign immediately and
let someone else who will stand up for the ordinary people of Wicklow
have an opportunity to do so".

Wicklow Sinn Féin to hold candle light vigil on Budget Day

Wicklow Sinn Féin are to hold a candle light vigil outside the
constituency office of Wicklow Labour TD Anne Ferris on Wednesday, the
evening that budget 2013 will be delivered,

Speaking ahead of the vigil Cllr John Brady said "We are holding the
candle light vigil outside the constituency office of Wicklow Labour
TD Anne Ferris to remind her and her colleagues in Government of their
commitments before the last election to protect the most vulnerable in
society. When we assemble at 7pm the Minister for Finiance will have
delivered his speech and we will know most of the detail in the
budget. The Department of Finance has said that current plans are for
Finance Minister Noonan to speak in the Dáil from 2.30pm next
Wednesday, 5 December, delivering much of the taxation side of the
budget".

Cllr Brady continued "Noonan will then be followed by the Public
Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin who will deliver the
content of the public expenditure and reform aspect of the 2013
Budget. Already the government has said that the Budget will see an
cuts and taxes of €3.5 billion, comprising of €1.25 billion in taxes
and charges and a further €2.25 billion in spending cuts".

The Sinn Féin Councillor continued "Sinn Féin have shown in our pre
budget submission that there is a better way. We have been told that
this will be another tough budget and that there will be cuts and
taxes of €3.5 billion included, this will be the 5th consecutive
budget of its type and its simply deepening the recession and
increasing unemployment".

Brady concluded "This Government were given a mandate by the people to
do something different to the failed policies of Fianna Fáil,
unfortunately however they are simply implementing all of Fianna
Fáil's polices which will include a property tax. I am asking people
and community groups who have been affected by cuts and taxes in
previous budgets and who are fearing the worst in Budget 2013 to show
up on Wednesday between 7pm and 8pm and to bring a candle. People need
hope and they need to see light at the end of this very dark tunnel,
however people are fearing the worst and by Wednesday evening we will
know if Labour and Fine Gael plan on leading us further into the
darkness or if they have learned that you simply cant cut your way out
of recession"

Brady slams Fine Gael and Labour as they try introduce Fianna Fáil's Property Tax Plans

Wicklow Sinn Fein County Councillor John Brady had stated that Fianna Fáil are not credible on property tax as they proposed it in Government and are opposing it in opposition. In Fianna Fáil's National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 they proposed a property tax, watercharges, significant reductions in frontline public sector workers, the recruitment moratorium, increasing the student contribution fee, massive cuts to social welfare supports were all measures. Much of these issues are in fact currently been perused by Labour and FineGael.

The Sinn Féin Councillor said " I find it very amusing to listen to Fianna Fáil and the hypocrisy they are spouting on the issue of property tax. Much of the policy measures currently pursued by FineGael and Labour were in fact already committed to by Fianna Fáil in government. Fianna Fáil’s National Recovery Plan 2011 –2014 included a property tax, water charges, significant reductions in frontline public sector workers, the recruitment moratorium, increasing the student contribution fee, massive cuts to social welfare supports were all measures".

Brady went onto say "Micheál Martin was a member of the cabinet who signed off on all of them before Fianna Fáil were kicked out of power. For Fianna Fáil to come out now and say they are opposed to the tax is pure opportunism and it simply doesn't wash with the public. Fianna Fáil are simply not credible on property tax. They proposed it in Government and are opposing it in opposition. When they say ‘wrongtime’ they say this because they are now in opposition".

The Wicklow County Councillor continued "Unlike the system in the North of Ireland which has been imposed by Westminister, householders at least get some return for the money they pay there. In the 26 counties people will still have to pay a raft of other stealth taxes along with the property tax, such as refuse collection, water charges, higher motor tax and fire-service charges to name a few. Sinn Féin are working towards breaking the link to Westminster and giving total fiscal control to the Assembly to fundamentally change the system in the North and allow Irish people control their own financial destiny".

Brady concluded “This is not about broadening the tax base. This is about hitting the same people once again who have borne the brunt of this recession. There are 160,000 families with distressed mortgages.It is estimated the average rate of property tax will be around €300 under a self-assessment system. The value of the home will go up in bands of €50,000 and it will be calculated by self-assessment. Householders will pay the rate attached to the nearest €50,000 band, so a house worth €235,000 will pay the rate for all houses between €200,000 and €250,000 of €500. The property tax is expected to range from €200 to €400 for most homeowners. The property tax will be the last straw for struggling householders and will be difficult to implement. Fine Gael and Labours plan to tax the family home is straight out of Fianna Fáil’s four year plan. The government is continuing to implement the brutal austerity plan Fianna Fáil put in place. There is an alternative and Sinn Féin has proposed a wealth tax is both fair and easy to implement".

Wicklow Sinn Fein to hold pre budget Protest

Wicklow Sinn Féin are to hold a Pre budget protest this Saturday, 1st
December at 2pm. The protest will take place outside the constituency office 
of Wicklow Labour TD Anne Ferris and it will happen only days before
Budget 2013 which will take place on Wednesday 5th December. Sinn Fein
are campaigning for a fair budget, against cuts and against the
property tax.

Speaking ahead of Saturdays protest Sinn Féin County Councillor John
Brady said "We are asking people to take to the streets of Bray on
Saturday to demand a fair budget.  Sinn Féin have shown in our pre
budget submission that there is a better way. We have been told that
this will be another tough budget and that there will be cuts and
taxes of €3.5 billion included, this will be the 5th consecutive
budget of its type and its simply deepening the recession and
increasing unemployment".

Cllr Brady went on to say "Politics is all about choices and its clear
the Government have choices to make on December 5th. We are simply
asking for fairness and this simply means those who can pay a little
bit more doing so, fairness also means protecting struggling families
and cuts starting at the top. It has been well flagged that Labour and
Fine Gael are planning on introducing a property tax, this will be the
last straw for struggling householders and will be difficult to
implement. A wealth tax is both fair and easy to implement. The main
message of the pre budget protest is tax wealth, not homes".

Cllr Brady concluded "I am asking people who what to see fairness in
next weeks budget to come out on Saturday and join in the protest, it
will take place outside the office of Labour TD Anne Ferris and will
be a chance for people to let their voices be heard prior to the
Budget".

Sinn Fein alternative budget protects families, frontline services and jobs - Brady

A €3.5 billion adjustment can be made next year through fair taxes and
savings and in turn protect families, frontline services and jobs,
according to Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady. The Wicklow
Councillor was speaking following the launch of his party’s
alternative budget ‘Making the right choices.’ Outlining a number of
the party’s measures, Brady said that the government had choices
before it which could either push struggling families over the edge
while protecting the wealthiest in society, or ensure a larger
contribution from the wealthiest while the most vulnerable sectors are
protected.

Cllr Brady said “Budgets are about choices. Do you introduce a
property tax that calls on struggling households to pay more or do you
introduce a wealth tax that asks the most well off to pay more? Do you
cut Child Benefit or do you cut politicians’ and high paid civil
servants’ wages? Do you protect tax reliefs for those who can afford
to avail of them or do you reduce the cost of petrol and diesel for
everyone? These are the choices the government has before it. For my
party the choices are obvious.

“Sinn Féin agrees that a €3.5 billion adjustment can be made next
year. In ‘Making the right choices’ we set out proposals for that
deficit adjustment and for new expenditure measures, paid for by net
new taxes of €2.758 billion and public spending savings of €1.044
billion. We include the tax carry-over of €220 million and our
expenditure measures amount to €338.68 million.

“On the tax side, we have concentrated on sections of society which we
believe can afford to pay more. So we introduce a third rate of tax of
48% on income in excess of €100,000. We propose a 1% wealth tax on net
wealth in excess of €1 million, excluding business assets, working
farms, pension pots and 20% of the family home. We propose increases
in CGT and CAT, with a reduction in the CAT threshold. We propose
targeting tax evasion. We maintain all discretionary tax reliefs but
standardise them. We introduce consumer tax on gambling. We propose a
new third rate of PRSI of 15.75% for employers on income paid over
€100,000 and we reduce the pensions related earning cap. The full list
of proposals is set out in the document and each of them is explained
through case studies and examples.

“Our savings include charging the full cost of private care in public
hospitals and increasing the use of generic drugs. We propose phasing
out the public subsidy of private schools. We want a social welfare
amnesty introduced. We want to see an emergency pay cap of €100,000
across the civil and public sector for three years, at which point we
would review the cap while bringing fairness to the remuneration paid
to the lowest and highest ranking civil and public servants. We
propose capping hospital consultant pay at €150,000, again for three
years. We also want to see politicians leading from the front, so we
propose reducing all Dáil and Seanad elected representatives’ pay,
scrapping allowances for chairs, abolishing the ‘super junior
minister’ payment, capping ministers’ special advisors’ pay, reducing
government jet spend and scrapping Oireachtas members’ mobile phone
set allowances. Again the full list is within the document and the
proposals are explained in detail.

“In addition to a section on protecting children’s rights, we also
include new expenditure to lift the recruitment embargo to hire 3,500
essential frontline staff; to resintate the almost one million home
help hours cut; to restore the training and material allowance for CE
schemes and to reduce the fee for non-doctor-referred A&E visits.

“A priority for us is to make life easier for struggling families. We
include proposals to reduce excise duty on fuel and diesel by 5 cent,
which will have a hugely positive effect on families, particularly in
rural Ireland. We take 296,000 low income workers out of the USC,
which will mean an extra €10 a week in the pocket of someone earning
€17,000 a year, or approximately €500 per year. We make allowances for
these on the tax side of our document, where we also include an
adjustment to allow for any loss after capping civil and public
servants at €100,000

“Sinn Féin has always said this crisis can be fixed by tackling
unemployment and the lack of growth, by overhauling the banks and
ending the tax payer subsidy and by cutting the deficit with fair,
growth friendly measures. These are our choices and the government
still has time to choose them too.”

The Sinn Fein Councillor concluded "The Sinn Fein alternative budget
is workable and realistic unlike the Fianna Fail proposals for Budget
2013. Thirteen of their proposals would hit those on low incomes
hardest and result in loss of jobs. Cutting capital expenditure will
mean fewer schools, fewer hospitals, less jobs and less tax revenue.
Cutting social welfare payments such as rent supplement and free
travel and increasing prescription charges for medical card holders
will hit those in greatest need hardest. What we need is a clear
change of direction. It is clear this government of Fine Gael and
Labour are singing from Fianna Fails hymn sheet, and its those polices
that have brought this Country to the very edge".

More needs to be done to protect the Language School Industry in Wicklow

Sinn Fein Councillor John Brady has said more needs to be done to
protect and help grow the English Language school Industry in Wicklow.
His calls follow an attack on a number of foreign students in Bray
over the last week. The industry brings thousands of students to
Wicklow each year and is worth several million Euro to the local
economy.

Speaking after meeting with a number of groups of students who have
been at the receiving end of both verbal and physical abuse the Sinn
Féin Councillor said "Wicklow and in particular Bray has long been
associated with foreign students, mainly coming from Spain, France and
Italy and in more recent years students are travelling from places as
far away as Brazil, Korea and China to learn English. In Bray there
are a large number of excellent English Language schools and these
bring in thousands of students each year, most students stay with
local families which in turn brings a little extra income into the
house. The vast majority of the time the students have a very
enjoyable and memorable stay, unfortunately there are a small number
of instances were students are attacked or targeted by mindless,
narrow minded thugs. Bray Town Council needs to take the led in
ensuring that everything that can be done will be done to promote the
protect the industry and they need to work with the schools and the
Gardaí as part of that process"

Cllr Brady continued "Unfortunately it is the attacks which happen on
a very small number of students each year that make the news. It would
be incorrect and foolish if we didn't admit that it happens, albeit
very rarely, to shy away from the issue is the wrong thing to do. We
need to tackle the issue head on to ensure the good name that Wicklow
has for hosting foreign students is protected. This is a multi million
euro industry and probably the biggest industry in Bray and more needs
to be done to protect it from the small number of short sighted thugs"

He went onto say the violence against foreigners was "a serious
social, educational, diplomatic and probably economic crisis that no
one is taking seriously enough. Unfortunately some schools have
already had to take the unprecedented step of curtailing some areas of
Bray where they can let students stay because of past incidents. This
has been a blow to the many local families in these areas who had
hosted students over many years without incident".

Cllr Brady concluded "I have already spoken to a large number of
students about their experiences in Wicklow which have mostly been
positive, unfortunately some had negative experiences. I am also
making arrangements to meet representatives of the schools to listen
to their concerns too and what they think can be done. There needs to
be an educational aspect to the solution and that needs to be about
showing some the real benefits locally of having students and this
could be done through the schools sponsoring local sports clubs for
example. I also plan on raising the issue at the next meeting of the
Joint Policing Committee (JPC), I will be asking for a permanent
position to be made for a representative from the foreign schools on
the JPC, so policing policies can be formulated to protect the
industry across Wicklow".