Questions Mr Rabbitte needs to answer

I’m surprised that the Labour Party has failed to respond to FG minister Brian Hayes’s assertion that “we” are taxed enough and that more cuts, which hit the poorest hardest, rather than proper taxes on the wealthy, are to be imposed in future.

Instead, Pat Rabbitte chooses to attack those who dare to criticise the FG/LP government for imposing unjust FF-like policies.

Has Mr Rabbitte ever considered that the reason why politicians are held in contempt may not be the media per se, but politicians making unconditional promises and the breaking them. Some other questions Mr Rabbitte may wish to address: Why is a small increase in tax on very high earners fairer than regressive flat increases in PRSI and cuts in child benefit for the very low paid, given that Labour tried (and failed) to increase tax for those on €100k+ in the run-up to the budget?

Why would a 10% USC rate decrease employment, given that most employers are self-employed & pay the 10% rate?

Why should the low-paid pay disproportionately (the PRSI and child benefit cuts are a much higher percentage of their income) for a crisis which was mainly caused by very highly paid bankers, developers, politicians and “regulators”?

Noeleen Reilly

Ballymun

Dublin 11