LEO’S BATTLE PLAN TARGETS ‘RECKLESS’ SF
Two-page document argues ‘high tax’ main opposition party would wreck economy with ‘dishonest, hypocritical and populist’ policies
FINE Gael will significantly ramp up its attacks on Sinn Féin’s economic policies as part of an aggressive new strategy under incoming Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Details of the new ‘gloves off’ approach are contained in a two-page document signed off by ministers ahead of last Tuesday’s Budget.
The document – obtained by the MoS and distributed to TDs and senators – labels the main opposition party as ‘dishonest and reckless’, ‘hypocritical and populist’.
Fine Gael ministers who signed off on the document last week describe the memo as a ‘blueprint for an escalation of hostilities’ that will see the two ideological foes go head-to-head as soon as the Tánaiste rotates roles with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in December.
The document provides data and prepared soundbites for Fine Gael Oireachtas
members to use in a bid to undermine the opposition party in the eyes of voters.
In a shift from previous attacks on their rivals, the Mr Varadkar has repeatedly told colleagues in recent weeks that, ‘we must focus on what Sinn Féin would do in the future rather than what they have done in the past’.
The Fine Gael leader also told colleagues the party must secure 30% of the vote at the next general election if it is to return to power.
To achieve this level of support the party will have to significantly boost its current popularity ratings, which latest polls indicate are as low as 20% and 21%.
With this in mind, Fine Gael ministers who spoke to the MoS this weekend said the party intends to focus its attention on the so-called ‘squeezed middle’.
The party will also highlight Sinn Féin’s plans to target higher earners. It is understood Mr Varadkar’s new and more aggressive policy has the full backing of his ministers and backbenchers.
The new approach is sure to see sparks fly in and out of the Dáil – and will have the added impact of putting pressure on Fianna Fáil to either distance themselves from Sinn Féin or risk losing establishment support to their more toughtalking coalition partner.
Some Fine Gael Cabinet members told the MoS the party also aims to capitalise on Fianna Fáil’s more ambiguous position on whether or not they would do business with Sinn Féin.
Fine Gael leadership last week signed off on the briefing document that will form the basis of its more aggressive approach.
The memo outlines how ministers, TDs and senators can launch a three-pronged attack on Sinn Féin’s policies and what it regards as the party’s double-speak and untrustworthiness.
The first section – titled ‘Sinn Féin would Wreck the Economy with High Taxes’ – states: ‘The economy is in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, yet Sinn Féin propose 20 separate tax increases amounting to €2.2bn.’
It goes on to say that Sinn Féin would ‘lump taxes on ordinary families’ by: ‘Increasing income tax by stealth, by not adjusting income tax for inflation (indexation), despite a cost-of-living crisis.
‘The Government’s €1bn tax package, however, will increase tax bands and credits. A worker on €45,000 will get over €830 back in their pocket p.a. under FG in Budget 2023, but only €313 under SF’s USC package.’
The next section, headed ‘Sinn Féin is Dishonest & Reckless’, encourages Fine Gael Oireachtas members to damage the opposition party by highlighting the misguided nature of their support for ‘price caps’ on energy bills.
Ironically, given Fine Gael has been accused of being aligned to Sinn Féin’s traditional arch-enemy, the British Conservative Party, the Government party will compare their rivals’ policies to the economic recklessness of Liz Truss and her followers.
The third and final section encourages Fine Gael politicians to target Sinn Féin ‘hypocritical and populist’ policies.
It states: ‘Sinn Féin’s energy policies are populist, flimsy and riddled with holes. Sinn Féin’s energy cap is a blank cheque to energy firms and cannot be properly costed. The UK energy cap will cost £100bn in the first year (UK Institute for Fiscal Studies).
‘Its population is 13 times the size of ours, therefore an energy cap in Ireland would cost €8bn. Sinn Féin have costed it at €1.5bn which is
grossly misleading. Sinn Féin’s energy cap only lasts until February, but what happens if the crisis persists? When will the cold snap occur? And when will the war in
Ukraine end?’
The Fine Gael document provides a stark indication of the changing nature of Irish politics and sets the
scene for what is set to be a more confrontational political landscape for the remainder of the Coalition’s term in office.
However, Sinn Féin’s performance in the 2020 general election and its surging support in the polls has convinced the Fine Gael hierarchy they must focus on what the opposition party stands for, which is undeniably a high tax and high spend fiscal path.
One Fine Gael Cabinet source also said the party leadership also understands it must concentrate on a finite section of the electorate to boost its support levels.
The minister told the MoS: ‘We owe an awful lot to 10% of the population, the 500,000 that pay their income tax.’
Senior Fine Gael sources said the aim of the party’s new approach is to ‘scare away the middle classes’ from Sinn Féin.
This is illustrated in the briefing document, which says the opposition party will ‘hit ordinary families’ by increasing taxes on inheriting the family home.
It states: ‘Sinn Féin wants to increase the rate of Inheritance Tax (CAT) by 3%, from 33% to 36% and
‘Populist, flimsy and riddled with holes’
‘Scare away the middle classes’
‘Sell the family home to pay the tax bill’
decrease the €35,000 tax-free amount a family can pass on to children, down to €300,000.
‘Under Sinn Féin, ordinary families would have to sell their family home after the death of a parent, to pay the tax bill.’
It also attacks the Sinn Féin pledge not to renew the Help to Buy Scheme, which it says ‘has helped over 35,000 first-time buyers buy or
build their own home’. And it warns that Sinn Féin will impose a spate of taxes on high-income earners.
The memo adds: ‘Sinn Féin propose four separate taxes worth €1.15bn on high-income earners, including employers’ PRSI (which is a direct tax on jobs) and a new rate of income tax.
‘This will reduce foreign investment in growing sectors like pharma and ICT.
‘Less investment means less jobs of every sort including ordinary middleincome jobs and jobs in local SMEs who provide support services. Everyone loses out when you wreck the economy.’
Fine Gael will also target Sinn Féin’s pension plans, with the document saying the party would ‘cut pensions tax relief for anyone earning over €60,000’.
It goes on to state: ‘As usual, Sinn Fein has written a 50-page document with no mention of how to grow an economy and create jobs. It’s all about spend, spend, spend.’