Statement from Soc Dems deputy leader Cian O\u2019Callaghan on Simon Harris\u2019 attack, in today\u2019s Irish Times, on the Soc Dems’ tax plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cSimon Harris is clutching at straws and is clearly struggling to explain how Fine Gael can propose large tax cuts and massive spending increases during this election campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an especially difficult circle to square when the Taoiseach is also issuing stark warnings about future risks to the economy from international events, like the re-election of Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn those circumstances, it is bizarre that he is attacking one of the only parties that is being straight with the electorate and simply stating the truth \u2013 that large tax cuts, and simultaneous spending increases, are incompatible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know what happened during the crash, when Fianna F\u00e1il relied on transient taxes, eroded the tax base and left the country bankrupt and bailed out. We do not want to go back there.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a stable tax base in order to ensure we can pay for critical investment in essential services like affordable housing, healthcare, childcare and disability services.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe notion that the Social Democrats ruling out tax cuts is the equivalent of tax rises is also incorrect. If the Taoiseach had read our manifesto, he would see we advocate for tax band indexation and tax credit increases to ensure workers don’t lose out due to inflation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe difference is that we want to wait and see what is required each year, and what money is available, rather than promising we’ll cut taxes by billions every year, regardless of how the economy is going.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike Fine Gael, and the other large parties, the Social Democrats are simply being straight with voters about our financial position. Instead of tax cuts or one-off measures, we believe the best way to bring down the cost of living for everyone is to invest in our critical public services.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Statement from Soc Dems deputy leader Cian O\u2019Callaghan on Simon Harris\u2019 attack, in today\u2019s Irish Times, on the Soc Dems’ tax plan. \u201cSimon Harris is clutching at straws and is clearly struggling to explain how Fine Gael can propose large tax cuts and massive spending increases during this election campaign. \u201cThis is an especially difficult […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[278,494,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cian-ocallaghan","category-general-election","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n