Programme for Government lacks vision, ambition, and specific commitments – John Brady TD
Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has described the new Programme for Government (PFG), published yesterday following agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and a collection of Independent TDs led by disgraced former Minister Michael Lowry, as a wasted opportunity, as lacking new ideas, derived of vision or purpose. In summary he argued it was nothing more than a reiteration of promises that have already been broken by the main government parties.
Brady said:
“The overriding impact of the Programme for Government is one of concern around the level of vagueness contained in the document. Which goes to extraordinary levels to avoid offering specific commitments.
The only thing that we can be sure of is that the government, including its new Independent allies will increase the cost of petrol and diesel every year, for the next five years. Which will come as a staggering blow to workers and families already struggling under the cost-of-living crisis.
The majority of the document lacks specific commitments. There are a lot of ‘reviews’, a lot of ‘considerations’, and a continuation of existing policies – which have not been delivered.
Throughout the document we see the word continue appearing 249 times, the word examine appears 86 times, and the word explore 34 times. We witness a further seven promises to “work towards”, over 120 mentions of reviews, further references to continue to review, 50 issues they will consider, a further 2o matters they will assess, and many more promises to aim for something.
Hardly a document to be considered an iron clad agreement to deliver.
This refusal to offer concrete commitments illustrates a lack of purpose, a lack of vision, and a real sense that there is a lack of commitment to the delivery on the content of the Programme for Government.
This vagueness around delivery extends to commitments around roads infrastructure, there are ill defined references to new roads, which will be a matter of concern to commuters in Wicklow, given the poor track record of the government here – what roads, where are they – how are they going to differ from previous empty and broken promises?
There is a huge onus here on the government to convince us on the validity of the PFG, which can only be considered in terms of delivery on much needed infrastructure projects here in Wicklow.
We need to see real and tangible commitments for transport
infrastructure here in Wicklow. We have been forced to lag behind for far too long.
Our public transport system here in Wicklow has been grossly neglected by previous FF and FG Governments. The lack of ambition displayed towards our county in last year’s Strategic Rail Review, which set out plans to spend €37bn across the State but stated that the solutions required to put in place a first-class rail service in Wicklow are, in the words of the report, ‘unlikely to be justifiable.
This is unacceptable and needs to be reversed.
We need more investment in transport in Wicklow not less. We need to see the extension of the DART service as far as Wicklow Town. We need to see the long-awaited upgrades to the N11 and N81 take place.
This government will be held to account by Sinn Féin. It will be made to answer for every failing, for every delay, and every obfuscation and attempt to weasel out of its commitments. FF, FG, and their Ind allies, have set out the PFG – now it must be delivered upon.” ENDs