Adams challenges Government to present post-treaty figures

Sinn Féin has today called on the Government to say how much extra austerity will be the result of a Yes vote in the fiscal referendum.

The party claimed that between €6-8bn of extra cuts and tax hikes will be needed.

However, Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton has described these figures as having been drawn up on the back of an envelope.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said that the Government needs to make the position clear.

"I've always thought of Lucinda Creighton as being one of the more intelligent, thoughtful members of this Government," he said.

"And if she doesn't know what the figure is, the that's deeply shocking.

"The easy way to sort this out of for the Government to present its figures."

Deputy Adams went on to say: "I want to welcome the recent interest in jobs and growth from the Yes side in the referendum campaign. But talking about jobs doesn’t get people off the dole. To create jobs you have to invest.

"You cannot create jobs by cutting €8.6bn from the domestic economy. Yet this is what Fine Gael and Labour have signed up to. And if we vote yes to the Austerity Treaty on May 31 we will be signing up to a further €6bn in cuts and tax hikes post 2015.

"The impact of all of these cuts and tax increases will be to further damage the domestic economy resulting in further jobs losses.

"The Government is talking jobs while implementing austerity. It simply makes no sense.

"On May 31 people have a clear choice between more austerity or investment in jobs and growth."