The Government’s own figures show the primary deficit in 2013 will only be €3.1 billion not €18 billion as the Yes side claim
In a statement, Richard Boyd Barrett TD, and Finance spokesperson for People Before Profit/United Left Alliance has said the government’s own figures show they are” lying through their teeth” to the public about the so-called deficit problem and the threat that the state will not have enough money to fund itself if we vote NO to the Fiscal Treaty.
Richard Boyd Barrett said the government’s own figures show clearly that the primary deficit (i.e. the deficit when bank debts and interest on debt is removed) will only be €3.1 billion in 2013 and is expected to be in surplus in the years following that.
Richard Boyd Barrett said: “The government have been lying through their teeth to the public about the size of the deficit problem and the threat of their not being enough money to salaries, pensions and social welfare, if we vote NO this Thursday.
The government’s worst case scenario is a total hoax and yet another example of the lies, bullying and intimidation that has characterised the government’s campaign.
In the unlikely scenario that the EU denied Ireland funding, the deficit gap we would have to fill is not €18 billion – it is €3.1 billion in 2013. The figures the government are using are ones which include re-payment of bank debt and other interest on debt. Obviously, if the EU cut off funding to us we would not be making those re-payments and the actual gap between income and expenditure would then only be €3.1 billion.
This is a gap that could easily be filled and more by increasing income tax on those earning over €150,000 per year and by imposing a modest wealth tax on the wealth and assets of the wealthiest 5% of the population.
So contrary to what the government claim, we would have the money to pay nurses, pensions, social welfare and all the things we actually need. We just wouldn’t have the money to pay-off bankers gambling debts and debt interest. Fine! No problem!
The government’s ‘big threat’ is a dishonest hoax designed to deflect from the real issue, which is the enormous amount of cuts and austerity that will be imposed if ratify this treaty.
It is voting yes to the treaty that will bring on the nightmare scenario of economic depression. Voting NO is a vote to demand a fairer and sustainable alternative to disastrous policy of austerity.”