Sinn Féin has long been on the money about economy

Mary Regan says Sinn Féin has few answers to the country’s problems, and she is dismissive of our call for a wealth tax (Irish Examiner, Apr 15).

Barack Obama, David Cameron and even Warren Buffet have all called for the rich to pay more tax. Ms Regan says our call for an 80% tax on oil and gas profits is a ‘quick fix’. She’s right. Norway has a similar tax and has one of the largest sovereign-wealth funds. Business lobbyists have called on FF/FG/Labour to not allow the sale of Coillte harvesting rights and to stop Ryanair taking over Aer Lingus. Sinn Féin wants to keep our semi-state companies intact. Ms Regan says Sinn Féin has a chance to present itself as a credible party. The 2008 bank guarantee was a catastrophe. Sinn Féin voted against it before the Oireachtas on Oct 17, 2008. One of the architects of our ‘bailout’ said it was a mistake not to burn bondholders. SF has always said that. Sinn Féin have been saying for five years that austerity doesn’t work.

Fiona Kerins