Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has urged Labour TDs to concentrate on winning their seats in the upcoming general election rather than chasing alleged leaks.
Mr Howlin said he was unaware of an internal party analysis which showed Labour could win between 10 and 16 seats at the next general election, compared with the 37 it took in 2011. TDs and Senators have reacted angrily to the publication of the information and called for an investigation into the source, with some blaming the Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly.
Mr Kelly said on RTÉ radio that neither he nor his staff had anything to do with the leak. “This is a storm in a teacup. I am director of elections for the party. I am not even aware that such analysis was done.”
Mr Howlin said the party could not find a leak that might not exist. “Our objective is pure and simple. Now we have to maximise Labour votes and we have to argue our case.
“We have to put a case to people not only to re-elect the Government we have been part of for five years but more importantly to have a strong Labour element to that.
“I know – sitting in the office I have sat in for the past five years – how important the Labour Party has been. We have to make that case to people clearly in the coming months.”
Public services
Mr Howlin said Fine Gael had moved from proposing a 4-1 ratio of spending cuts to tax increases to now valuing public services, thanks to Labour.
In its manifesto, Labour will propose scrapping USC for low- and middle-income earners. It will pledge to introduce a capped levy for those earning more than €100,000. It is also proposing of a living wage of up to €11.50 an hour for workers.
Both Coalition parties are eager to introduce new measures to help with childcare costs.
Labour will pledge to introduce parental leave of up to three months for parents.
Eighth Amendment
Fine Gael has also proposed to review the Eighth Amendment dealing with abortion while Labour will pledge to hold a referendum to repeal the amendment which gives equal rights to the life of the unborn and the mother. Mr Howlin said this had been on the Labour agenda while others had taken a “while to catch up”.
“In social terms, if people agree with the progressive policies that Labour have espoused always, then people will have to vote Labour.”
The latest Irish Times/MBRI poll showed Fine Gael is on course to be the biggest party in the Dáil by far after the general election. Support for the party has risen since September to 30 per cent while support for Labour has declined to 7 per cent.
Questioned about Fine Gael plans to target low-paid workers and introduce a new charge on high-income earners, Mr Howlin said he welcomed his Coalition colleagues aboard Labour territory.
“Those that five years ago when I sat into a room were looking for expenditure cuts of a ratio of three and in some cases four to one in relation to tax hikes have moved into a space of valuing public services. That is a big advance.”
