Election 2024: War of words as Fine Gael hits out at Sinn Féin on economy with attack ad
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A major clash has broken out between Sinn Féin and Fine Gael on the economy, as the latter has accused the main opposition party of attempting to “raid” Ireland’s public finances.
In its first stunt of the campaign, Fine Gael has unveiled a new ad that says Sinn Féin are planning to break into the “State piggy bank” to lift €16bn from its coffers.
The party produced a roving screen with the attack ad, with Fine Gael staffers confirming that it will travel across Dublin city on Wednesday afternoon.
Sinn Féin formally launched their election manifesto on Tuesday, which includes significant tax cuts alongside major public service investments. This includes the abolition of the USC on income below €45,000, as well as investment in housing and healthcare.
Outgoing Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said that Sinn Féin’s plans are “capable of causing such harm to jobs and the future of our economy”.
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He accused the party of planning to spend every cent that the State has — rather than running up budget surpluses as the outgoing government has in recent years.
“This isn’t just a magic money tree, it’s a whole forest of them and it’s dangerous,” Mr Donohoe said of Sinn Féin’s plans.
In response, Sinn Féin has accused Mr Donohoe of telling “barefaced lies”.
The party's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty described the ad as “pathetic” and accused Fine Gael of lying to the electorate.
“Paschal Donohoe is telling bare faced lies with the latest pathetic Fine Gael election ad.
“The contents of this advertisement are complete and deliberate lies from a party that can’t stand over its own record of a massive waste of taxpayers’ money.
“The reality is that Fine Gael are under pressure in this election campaign and are now resorting to scare tactics and barefaced lies.”
Mr Doherty instead pointed to overspends within government, highlighting the €1.5bn extra being spent on building the National Children’s Hospital and then €336,000 on the Leinster House bike shed.
Earlier, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also hit back at Fine Gael, highlighting that the party has been in government with Fianna Fáil — who were responsible for the financial crash in 2008.
“Fine Gael has been in government and in alliance with the party that literally crashed the Irish economy,” Ms McDonald said.
“They seem to have very short memories and they seem to be unable to actually read accurately the Sinn Féin proposal.”
Ms McDonald said Sinn Féin’s proposals would return budget surpluses each year, saying that this would amount to €15bn over five years.
She said such funds would be invested for a “rainy day”.
“Fine Gael needs to wake up and smell the coffee. It’s raining now for so many families and for so many communities and they cannot tolerate or be asked to wait and wait and wait while so many of their basic needs aren’t being met,” Ms McDonald said.
Asked how the party could square their accusations at Sinn Féin when Fine Gael has been accused of Celtic Tiger-style economics in their own manifesto, Mr Donohoe said that the public are aware that the government helped during the cost-of-living crisis and covid-19 pandemic due to budget surpluses.
“I stood up in the Dáil, day after day, for five years, being criticised for running budget surpluses, being told that we should spend more that is available to us,” Mr Donohoe said.
“It’s because I and Fine Gael and our colleagues in government did not do that, we were then able to help during a pandemic in an unprecedented way and to help again during the cost-of-living crisis.”