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"