The Labour Party continued its annual conference in Mullingar today with delegates hearing attacks on the Government over public transport, the Lisbon Treaty and other topics.
Transport spokesman Tommy Broughan claimed the Green Party’s time in Government has shown their transport policies to be “empty promises and worthless promises”.
He attacked the Government over the “vicious” proposed cuts to Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, which he said will affect low income families, senior citizens and other vulnerable sectors.
Mr Broughan said Government plans to abandon public transport infrastructural projects under the National Development Plan and Transport 21 are “a brazen attack on our established national transport, planning, environmental and climate change policies”.
Europe spokesman Joe Costello said Ireland needs to be at the centre of Europe and fully supported the Lisbon Treay. He said Labour was “deeply disappointed” that the Government has reneged on its commitment to consult or engage with the Opposition in preparing the text of the second referendum.
“Loss of the first Referendum was due to rank carelessness. Loss of a second Referendum would be catastrophic,” he warned.
Speaking at a workshop at the conference, Dublin MEP Proinsias De Rossa called on the Government to cut VAT rates from 13.5 per cent t 5 per cent on the labour costs of renovating homes for a limited period to encourage immediate growth in the economy.
“This measure would complement the Housing Insulation Programme proposed by the Labour Party last autumn and taken up by the Government in February, increase demand and thereby help safeguard jobs, and cut carbon emissions,” he said, noting that a similar scheme has been operating successfully in the Isle of Man since 2000.