Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty TD has commented on the European Semester Spring Package which drew attention to significant failings in the Government’s economic policies.

Speaking today, the Donegal TD said that the Report revealed significant failings in areas such as housing, childcare, social inclusion which risk Ireland’s economic competitiveness and development.

Teachta Doherty said:

“The Report published this week by the European Commission as part of the 2022 European Semester underlined continuing failings in the Government’s economic policy.

“The Report notes that house prices and rents continue to rise as a result of this and previous Government’s failure to invest in social and affordable housing.

“Not only has this locked struggling home buyers out of home ownership, and locked renters into an unaffordable rental market, the Report also notes that it has led to higher levels of homelessness.

“The Report also underlines the fact the R&D investment continues to lag behind our European peers while childcare costs remain among the highest in the EU.

“These failings are direct threat to the competitiveness of our economy and continue to hamper social progress.

“In addition, the Report notes that less than a third of citizens with disabilities were in employment in 2019, with one of the highest disability employment gaps in the EU.

“The Report also highlighted that Irish single parent households have the lowest employment rates in the EU.

“This Report is a wake-up call to the failings of this Government, and the risk those failings pose to our economy.

“These failings must be addressed through a radical step-change in policy and, ultimately, through a change in Government.”