Taoiseach claims Sinn Féin's 'let’s tax them more' policies will hurt small businesses

Micheál Martin expressed concerns that their approach of taxing many entities unduly would create issues for Ireland’s indigenous companies, and could impact foreign direct investment decisions

Taoiseach Micheal Martin made his comments at the opening by global medical devices giant, Stryker, of a massive new hi-tech facility at Anngrove, near Carrigtwohill, in Cork, which has capacity for 600 additional jobs. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Taoiseach has launched a broadside at Sinn Féin’s enterprise policies and says he would find it very hard to do business with them in government.

Micheál Martin described the party’s policies as “anti-enterprise” and said small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have “most to fear” because of what he described as the party’s “let’s tax them more” reflex reaction to any issue.

He also expressed concerns that their approach of taxing many entities unduly would create issues for Ireland’s indigenous companies, and could impact foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions. He made his comments at the opening by global medical devices giant, Stryker, of a massive new hi-tech facility at Anngrove, near Carrigtwohill, in Cork, which has capacity for 600 additional jobs.

It comes amid reports that potential foreign investors into Ireland have started to ask their local advisers about the prospect of a Sinn Féin-led government after the next election and how “business-friendly” it might be. Mr Martin hailed Ireland’s strong economic policy and philosophy which he said “has stood this country well” for over 60 years, attracting significant FDI.

“It’s very important we maintain that enterprise ecosystem in this country, that pro-enterprise policy," he said.

“We are a small open economy and the twin approach of developing our own indigenous companies and attracting FDI has worked extremely well and the connection between our indigenous companies and multinationals has worked very well - so enterprise matters and enterprise policy matters.” 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

He said elections take on their own dynamic but he said enterprise policy and taxation issues will be at the core of the next election campaign.

“I think Sinn Féin’s knee-jerk reaction to any problem would be to tax, and particularly tax small enterprises in Ireland," he said.

“The SMEs have the most to fear from Sinn Féin policies because there is a reflex reaction to any issue which would be ‘let’s tax them’ more and if you are an SME that has been working hard for 10 or 15 years and then you start making money, making over €100,000 or more but you spent 10 years making nothing, in my view, you are entitled to reap the rewards of your hard work.

I think a lot of people in SMEs would be hard hit by the policies that Sinn Féin propose.

He also criticised what he called the party’s anti-European Union stance, and when asked if he could do business with the party after a general election, he said: “With extreme difficulty, given their policies.”

Stryker, a global medical technology company, makes products to treat bone-related conditions in joints, including knees, hips, shoulders and ankles. Its new 156,000 sq ft facility in East Cork will be used for additive manufacturing work, which includes 3D printing and healthcare innovation, particularly for the manufacture of specialised medical devices.