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'Fine Gael don't care too much about ordinary people'

Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath had some strong words for the government today.

Updated 4.55pm

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FIANNA FÁIL FINANCE spokesperson Micheal McGrath has launched a scathing attack on Fine Gael, claiming the party only cares about looking after the well-off.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie today, McGrath said he believed Fine Gael’s “driving ideology” was to look after the better-off in society.

That’s, in essence, what they stand for and I don’t think they care too much about ordinary people, that’s my own view.

He was speaking after launching Fianna Fáil’s pre-budget submission where the party outlined plans to deliver cuts to the USC that would benefit the majority of taxpayers by €293 annually, irrespective of their income.

McGrath said his party was proposing a much fairer tax cut than the government introduced last year where higher earner benefitted up to fives times more than low and middle-income earners.

He also suggested that if current economic growth continues the Universal Social Charge (USC) could be abolished entirely within 6 to 8 years:

Quinton O'Reilly / TheJournal.ie

Acknowledging a recent poll finding that most people do not trust Fianna Fáil to run the economy again, McGrath said his party was adopting a cautious approach in its budget proposals in recent years.

In doing this, he said that Fianna Fáil is recognising mistakes of the past which are “deeply ingrained in my psyche and I believe in the party’s psyche”. But he added:

“I think people don’t trust politicians or political parties in general and that’s a problem we have and it’s a problem that the body politic has created.

But I accept that it is a particular issue for us to convince people that we can responsibly manage the economy into the future and it’s principally my job of work, as finance spokesperson, to convince people we can do it.

McGrath also insisted that the Fianna Fáil policy to abolish Irish Water and water charges is a red line issue in any future coalition negotiations:

Quinton O'Reilly / TheJournal.ie

There will be more from our wide-ranging interview with Micheal McGrath on TheJournal.ie this weekend

Read: “Lucky general” Michael Noonan taking credit for Brian Lenihan’s plan – FF

Read: An awful lot of you want USC abolished altogether

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74 Comments
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    Mute Dave Hogan
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    Aug 21st 2017, 8:47 PM

    If I ear anything I will let them know.

    105
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    Mute Brian O Reilly
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:27 PM

    The victim’s new nickname is “18 Months cos he’s got an ear and a half”

    35
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    Mute Andy Dwyer
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    Aug 21st 2017, 8:48 PM

    Mike Tyson filming the new Hangover movie.

    23
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    Mute winston smith
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:17 PM

    The suspect was a well-built, white man in his 30s, who is around 5ft 8in tall with short dark has, has a tattoo on his neck, and was wearing a tight t-shirt and was chewing on an ear lobe…can’t be too difficult to find.

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    Mute Ted Murray
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:08 PM

    At least he’s still got an ear for music.

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Aug 21st 2017, 8:47 PM
    16
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    Mute SteveW
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    Aug 21st 2017, 8:56 PM

    “The dance floor scuffle” sounds dangerous.

    14
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    Mute filthypete
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:48 PM

    @SteveW: “strictly” after dark

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    Mute Minom Pnom
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:12 PM

    Bud, belfastian nordie, lend me your ear

    11
    Lily
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    Mute Lily
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    Aug 21st 2017, 8:56 PM

    Dolph Lundgren in Universal Soldier had a fondness for ears. Often seen wearing a necklace made from them.

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    Mute Brendan McLaughlin
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    Aug 21st 2017, 10:25 PM

    Club is well known in Belfast as, “Sophie Ellis Baxter’s place”.
    Theres Murder on the Dance Floor.
    True!

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Aug 21st 2017, 11:42 PM

    @Brendan McLaughlin: v good

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    Mute Denis McCarthy
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    Aug 21st 2017, 10:49 PM

    If found and convicted, will he ordered to keep the peace?

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Aug 21st 2017, 11:42 PM

    @Denis McCarthy: the piece(of ear)

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    Mute john culhane
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:13 PM

    Tastes like chicken

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 21st 2017, 9:00 PM

    A dance floor scuffle? Usually a cringe worthy, mortifying dance off solves that issue, but no, someone needs to take a chunk of ear off instead of just getting a kebab like they rest of us.

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    Mute DubKid
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    Aug 21st 2017, 11:46 PM

    Must have been doing the haka

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Aug 21st 2017, 11:40 PM

    Hungry devil

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