The task now is to secure the recovery and reject Fianna Fáil’s attempts to wreck it…again – Harris

The Minister of State at the Department of Finance and Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Simon Harris, has said today (Thursday) the latest CSO growth figures show the economic recovery is strengthening and the task now is to secure and protect it from Fianna Fáil’s high tax and spend plans. GDP grew by 1.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 6.5 per cent year-on-year.

“The economy grew by 5.2% in 2014 – the strongest rate of growth in the EU. It is clear from these figures that our plan is working and, along with the people, we have brought the economy to the point where it is recording the fastest economic growth in Europe. 

“Most sectors of the economy, domestic and exporting, are now growing strongly and this points to an economic recovery that is both sustainable and jobs-rich. This is in heavy contrast to Fianna Fáil’s economic model of wild spending fuelled by speculation. 

“Government borrowing has been massively reduced, and interest rates on our debt are now at all-time lows, but we have more to do. Our deficit and debt are still high and must be further reduced. These figures will help us to meet that challenge.

“The task now is to build upon the gains we have made in recent years and to secure the future growth projected by the CSO. 

“We can do that by sticking to the plan of growing employment and combining this with sustainable reductions in the tax burden to reward work and create employment. Over 100,000 new jobs have been added to the economy since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. We will replace the 300,000 jobs lost during Fianna Fáil’s crash by 2018. 

“Our policies in Government are in stark contrast to Fianna Fáil’s, a party that lacks any jobs plan. We rejected their failed economic philosophy of wild spending and speculation once and we’ll do it again. We’re never going back to the Fianna Fáil’s cycle of boom and bust and we can’t risk the future on a coalition of chaos. Political and economic stability will secure the recovery.”