Bertie takes tax credits from the opposition

IN recent weeks, Fianna Fáil luminaries from Seamus Brennan to Brian Cowen have scolded the opposition for making wide-ranging commitments on tax reform and public services, accusing them of engaging in ‘auction politics’.

This makes the Taoiseach’s árd fheis speech all the more worrying. Mr Ahern is committed to implementing Fine Gael’s tax policies for families, carers and homemakers, Labour’s policy on the lower rate of income tax, the Greens’ policy on tax credits and bands, and he went half-way to meeting the PDs’ policy on the higher tax rate.

And he promised to slash PRSI while miraculously expanding PRSI benefits such as the State pension. FF’s approach to economic policy in this election seems to be a case of “whatever they are offering, and some”.

As a candidate, I had hoped for a June election to allow me more time to get around my constituency. However, as a citizen and taxpayer I am now praying for an election as early as possible lest the Taoiseach loses the run of himself and transports us all back to the ruinous vote-buying politics of 1977.

Leo Varadkar

Rosehaven

Carpenterstown

Dublin 15