Posted by guestposter in Economy

Many thanks to the person who forwarded this to the CLR.

From: Eamon Gilmore

Date: October 2013

Subject: The Budget that will take us out of the “bail out”

To: xxxxx

Dear [Labour Party Member],

Earlier this week the Government announced its third budget. It is an important budget in that it is the Budget that will take us out of the “bail out” in a few short weeks.

It is a Budget which will underpin recovery. It also delivers on key Labour Party commitments – notably the introduction of free GP care for children aged five and under, and the extension of a book rental scheme to all primary schools.

I have said on many occasions that the 2014 Budget should do what is necessary for Ireland to exit the EU/ IMF programme but no more. The Budget presented last Tuesday does just that. We have taken €600m less out of the economy by way of cuts in spending and tax increases than originally signalled. This is a clear sign to the Irish people that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

There are now very real signs of hope in our economy:

• When we came to office, 7,000 jobs were being destroyed every month.

Now we are creating 3,000 jobs per month.

• When we came to office, the live register was heading for 500,000. I

expect it fall below 400,000 very soon.

The last few years have been difficult for the Irish people and difficult for the Party. Once again, this year Labour Ministers were faced with really difficult choices. In making those choices we have striven to minimise any negative social impact and to do whatever we can to promote jobs and recovery.

When our Party came into office, thirty one months ago, Ireland was on its knees, virtually bankrupt and with a Government which was discredited both at home and abroad. Now the reputation of our country has been restored: there are signs of recovery and real reasons for hope.

We in the Labour Party have played our part in bringing about the change. We will continue to play our part until the job is done.

Yours Fraternally,

Eamon