{"id":23418,"date":"2021-10-07T13:16:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-07T17:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23418"},"modified":"2021-10-09T11:29:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-09T15:29:35","slug":"sinn-fein-calls-for-funding-of-citizens-assembly-on-reunification-in-budget-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23418","title":{"rendered":"Sinn F\u00e9in Calls For Funding Of Citizens’ Assembly On Reunification In Budget 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sinn F\u00e9in President Mary Lou McDonald announces the party’s proposals for Budget 2022<\/em> at Alex Hotel, Dublin (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in have called on the Government to include a provision for a citizens\u2019 assembly on a united Ireland in next week\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their alternative budget proposals, launched in Dublin on Thursday, the party included an allocation of \u20ac1.5 million for a public forum on the constitutional question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Government could not bury its head in the sand and pretend \u201cchange is not in motion\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cWe\u2019ve been arguing for quite some time now that, irrespective of who is in Government, preparations need to begin now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo scope out, to have conversations, to start laying plans for constitutional change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd indeed, the change in public service provision so often will run alongside it. We couldn\u2019t present a budgetary plan without including this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cOn Tuesday, those that are taking to their feet should be announcing similarly, an allocation for a citizen\u2019s assembly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms McDonald said it was \u201cway past time\u201d for a forum on the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is something that we have pursued and that we will continue to pursue with the Taoiseach, with Miche\u00e1l Martin, with the T\u00e1naiste, and indeed with everybody in the Oireachtas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause burying your head in the sand and pretending the change is not in motion is certainly not the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms McDonald said Ireland should not hold off on the citizens\u2019 assembly out of fear of upsetting unionism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny idea that we can\u2019t have the conversation or we can\u2019t make the necessary preparations because unionism or a section of it will kick back, I think is equally misguided,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the most respectful thing that we can do, the most respectful approach that we can take for all of our citizens, is to recognize the reality of change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd to make everybody, and I mean absolutely everybody, part and parcel of that conversation, including those that will campaign and argue against the proposition for unity, that will argue for the union.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other measures included in Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s alternative budget include a \u20ac10 increase in social welfare payments for the unemployed and a \u20ac5 increase in the State pension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On housing, the party promises to deliver 20,000 social and affordable homes a year for purchase and rent, at a cost of \u20ac3.2 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They plan to phase out the local property tax, starting with a 20 per cent reduction, with the revenue to be replaced by a wealth tax on net assets above \u20ac1 million, at 1 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renters would receive one month\u2019s rent relief at a cost of \u20ac273 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incomes over \u20ac140,000 would be hit with a 3 per cent \u201csolidarity tax\u201d, while tax credits would be removed on incomes above \u20ac100,000, measures Sinn F\u00e9in calculates would generate an additional \u20ac408 million in revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On health, the budget promises an additional 932 hospital beds at a cost of over \u20ac500 million spread across current and capital expenditure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also promised an investment of \u20ac114 million in mental health services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms McDonald said: \u201cOur plan is underpinned by a sustainable fiscal strategy that would reduce the deficit and put our public finances on a sure footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur plan would, based on recent forecasts by the ESRI and the Fiscal Advisory Council, reduce the deficit by \u20ac4.5 billion in 2022, with a deficit of 2.2 per cent of GDP.\u201d<\/p>\n

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