Eamon Ryan wants to return with the Green team
Speaking to the Irish Examiner as his party launched its general election campaign, Mr Ryan said Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Joan Burton “have got it all wrong” in the election promises.
He has attacked Fine Gael and Labour for engaging in “auction politics” saying they are repeating the mistakes that caused the 2008 crash.
He said the €3bn giveaway budget before Christmas smacked of the “old-school” way of doing things.
He was deeply critical of the party’s ignoring of the warnings from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and he said his party accepts their €3.2bn figure for the amount of additional spending in the economy between now and 2021.
“I accept their figures, of course I do. Fine Gael and Labour are doing the auction politics thing, and it is coming back to haunt them” he said.
He was also critical of Finance Minister Michael Noonan saying there was “slack” in the economy.
“What is he talking about? We have a housing shortage crisis, a transport crisis, and an education crisis. Where is the slack? It is clear that, fundamentally, Fine Gael’s policies are risky in terms of the economy,” Mr Ryan said.
The former communications minister lost his seat in 2011 and is standing in Dublin Bay South. His party is running candidates in every constituency and expects to return with a team of TDs. Asked why people should vote green, Mr Ryan said their policies are what is needed for a modern Ireland.
“Tech is going green, because they know it is the future. We have the best policies on energy. Why do we import energy when we could produce our own? But we are also the party of reform and we would be a strong voice for reform in the Dáil.”
The party is set to launch its manifesto next week.
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