Fine Gael Will 'Keep Recovery Going' - An Taoiseach

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that the choice faced by voters on Friday is between a government that will keep the recovery going, or one that would put it at risk.

The Fine Gael leader said that his was the "only party that people can rely on to provide the stability and certainty needed to keep the recovery going and bring it into every home in the country".

"Our country is getting back on track, thanks to the Irish people, after Fianna Fáil destroyed it. We know that the recovery is not being felt by everyone, that it is fragile and cannot be taken for granted and now is not the time to take risks with it," the Taoiseach said.

"Fine Gael's promise is to give our people the solid foundation on which they can build their lives – no more boom and bust, no more reckless waste of taxpayers' money, no more sense of a crisis. Underpinning our manifesto is Fine Gael's Long Term Economic Plan to Keep the Recovery Going. It has three steps:

1. More and Better Jobs – 200,000 extra jobs by 2020 supported by a €4 billion jobs fund

2. Making Work Pay – abolishing the USC and reforming the welfare system to make work always pay more than welfare

3. Investing in Public Services – with more people at work and paying taxes we will be able to recruit 10,000 extra nurses, teachers and Gardaí.

"And make no mistake; if we have no new jobs, there is no recovery and no investment in new services.  It's as simple as that. Now is not a time to take a risk with the economy. So the choice for people this Friday is a critical one – a Government with a proven track record that will keep the recovery going or a government of many shades and agendas who will put the recovery at risk? I know that Fine Gael and Labour can form a stable Government that would keep the economy strong and grow jobs so that we can bring the recovery into every home in the country. That is the result that I am fighting for, and what Fine Gael is fighting for, between now and Friday."

(MH/LM)