Sinn Féin’s plan to spend an additional €22bn by 2025 have been branded as “dangerous and highly irresponsible” by leading economists and political opponents. The party’s spending plans for the next five years are more than double the €11bn that the Department of Finance believes will be there to spend. However, the department clarified that it did not cost the totality of the Sinn Féin package but rather it costed individual items and there was stinging criticism of the party’s spending plans. Economist Jim Power said any party proposing additional spending within the €11bn ceiling is prudent but moving beyond that is highly risky. He said many of Sinn Féin’s planned tax increases on financial institutions and wealthy individuals “fly in the face” of a growing economy.

Source: Irish Examiner January 29, 2020 05:26 UTC