A Fianna Fáil-led government will spend less than the Fine Gael/Labour alternative to be put to the people at the next general election, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin said today.
Speaking the Fianna Fáil ard fheis in Killanrney, this eveniong, he accused FG/Labour of "negative" politics and said they were unwilling to make their policies known.
"They keep repeating that they are offering a radical alternative, but you have to search very hard to find any statement from them on what they propose to do.
"This is typical of what is a deeply cynical tactic of trying to gain power through attack politics rather than allowing an honest debate," Mr Martin said.
The "self-declared alternative government" would be a threat to the Ireland's economics future if elected next time around because of its advocacy of higher spending and higher taxes which would lead to higher employment.
"They simply don't understand that we have to have a world-class knowledge and physical infrastructure if we are to be successful in the future," he maintained.
Fianna Fáil policies had led to the lowest unemployment level in Europe and claimed 25 per cent of jobs in Ireland today were during this Government's term of office, he said. He also noted the International Monetary Fund's endorsement this week of Ireland's economic policy.
"Many of our biggest problems come not from recessions, but from coping with success. This didn't happen by accident and it is a powerful reminder to people that the politics makes a difference," he said.
He ridiculed Fine Gael and its enterprise spokesman Phil Hogan who, he said, had been predicting doom for three years but ewhose onlu success was consistently being wrong.
"The other thing Phil is great at is following his leader in praising Fine Gael for being willing to take brave and tough decisions ... on their behalf Phil has actually managed to be on every side of the issue - sometimes even at once."
He hit out at a Labour Party that had combined "complacency" with "irresponsible policies" which posed "a direct and substantial threat to the long-term prosperity of this country".
Its leader, Pat Rabbitte, was running the party "as befits a former member of a Stalinist party", he added. "Pat Rabbitte has banned anyone else from speaking on behalf of the party as, he believes that his word on every issue is final."
"Exactly what his economic policies are he has refused to explain beyond, saying simply that they'll be great and that no one has the right to ask him to say any more."