3 January 2002

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Sinn Fein candidate's New Year message heralds challenge to Government and warning on euro currency and economic sovereignty

In a New Year message, Sinn Fein's prospective TD for Tallaght and Dublin South-West, Councillor Seán Crowe, said that the election of several Sinn Fein TDs this year will provide a strong challenge to Government mismanagement of housing, the health service, the environment, education and transport. Cllr Crowe said:

"This year's general election gives voters a golden opportunity to show the Government what they think of the sleaze, the scandals and the mismanagement of society and public services.

"We have seen ministerial mental gridlock when it comes to resolving the crises in housing, the health service, environment, education and transport.

"In 2002, people will have the chance to elect a crop of Sinn Fein TDs who can provide the vigorous Dáil opposition so badly needed instead of the powder puff politics of the Fine Gael and Labour leaderships that people have had to endure during the past few years."

Cllr Crowe, the party's Dublin candidate in the last European elections, also urged people to "retain their critical faculties about the introduction of the euro and the alleged benefits of monetary union". He said:

"Sinn Fein is pro-Europe because we are internationalists but we believe that the power over how the Ireland spends its money and what public services it should be spent on must stay in Ireland, not be handed over by Charlie McCreevy to bankers in Brussels or Frankfurt. We must not surrender our economic independence or let it be stolen away by stealth."

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