John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Fine Gael cannot help itself when it comes to wasting taxpayers' money, whether it is the millions of euro wasted in the installation of water meters, the continued roll-out of the public services card, an over-the-top social welfare fraud campaign based on false figures, the continued spending on the flawed JobPath scheme or the infamous strategic communications unit. I wonder how it must feel to be trapped in emergency accommodation, sleeping on the streets, struggling to pay rising rents or a mortgage or unable to afford the most basic necessities and then to see the Government spending millions on fancy advertisements and newspaper spreads, self-promoting and spinning a yarn that everything is okay in Leo land. What does this say to all those who struggle every day? What message does it send to them? The Government needs to get its priorities straight. Instead of spending taxpayers’ money on itself and would-be Fine Gael Deputies across the State, it must spend in areas that will be of benefit to taxpayers. Giving people homes in which to live and basic access to health care would be a start. The strategic communications unit will not achieve anything worthwhile for the taxpayer. It will not fix the many problems in society. The Government needs to ask what people want and need. Is it fancy advertisements in newspapers and self-promotion or is it action to tackle the issues that impact on citizens?

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