Apple tax windfall should be spent on building affordable homes, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns says
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns speaking to the media ahead of the party's think-in at the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday. Picture: David Young/PA Wire
The Apple tax fund should be allocated to building affordable homes, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said.
Ms Cairns described the âelephant in the countryâ as being the ongoing housing crisis, while criticising both Fine Gael and Fianna FĂĄil for trying to block the Apple tax funds from going to the exchequer.
âI find it kind of amusing to see parties who spent eight years and âŹ10m fighting this case to try and [not] get the money back, saying what theyâd like to spend the money on,â Ms Cairns said.
Ms Cairns was speaking at the partyâs annual think-in, where she outlined the Social Democrats' priorities on issues like housing and childcare.
She called for work to be done to ban the bulk-purchasing of homes by investment funds, while adding the existing vacancy tax rate needed to be hiked.
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Ms Cairns added her party would be bringing forward an affordable housing plan in the coming weeks, following moves by Sinn FĂ©in on the matter last month.
On childcare, Ms Cairns called for a hike in maternity benefit payment rate to âŹ350 a week. At present, the benefit is paid out at âŹ274 a week.Â
She also criticised Taoiseach Simon Harris for only calling for a public childcare service ahead of the upcoming general election.
âItâs great to see the Taoiseach has finally come around to the position, the reality that we need a publicly funded model of childcare. I donât think weâll reach gender equality unless we have that,â Ms Cairns said.
âBut saying it now, just before an election, when theyâve had 13 years to implement this, lacks a bit of credibility.â
On the election, Ms Cairns said her party was preparing for a November election, with candidates campaigning up and down the country.
She said the party would not promise âthe sun, moon and starsâ.
âWe want investment in public services to try to lift people out of poverty.â
On going into government, Ms Cairns said the Social Democrats did want to do so, but they would not do it âfor the sake of itâ.
âWhat we want to see is the biggest mandate for the Social Democrats in Government as possible,â Ms Cairns said.
However, she did not set out the number of TDs that would require, saying it would instead depend of the overall arithmetic of the next DĂĄil term.
Asked about proposals by Green Party leader Roderic OâGorman for a common left-wing platform after the next general election, Ms Cairns downplayed prospects of engaging.
She insisted her priority was building up the Social Democrats mandate, but they would speak with everyone after the next election.
Ms Cairns said she was in broad favour of the âVote Left, Transfer Leftâ pact that was established in the 2020 general election.
However, pressed if this meant she would urge voters to give number two votes to Labour candidates, Ms Cairns shook her head.
She also rejected assertions by TĂĄnaiste MicheĂĄl Martin that the Social Democrats were "failed staters", instead saying there have been failures of Government.
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