Sinn Fein Newry and Armagh representatives, Conor Murphy and Megan Fearon recently participated in the party’s All Ireland Economy Meeting which was held in Leinster House. Party colleagues from north and south working in areas of finance, the economy an d public expenditure came together to consider how an all-island approach could benefit local people and communities. Speaking after the meeting Conor Murphy MP said: “Sinn Fein’s name is to ensure that quality of life is improved for people across Ireland from Dublin to Belfast, Cork to Donegal. In order to do that the party the party is currently researching the financial effects of the border and the savings which a united approach would generate. Our argument is that it does not make good economic sense to have duplicate services on this small island. People here are paying through their taxes for parallel systems of health care, emergency services, two currencies, different farming and business regulations and so on.” Mr Murphy said the party is also researching the amount of money the Exchequer receives from the north in comparison wit the block grant the north receives. The MP added: “To date it has improved extremely difficult to obtain figures from the British Treasury but I will continue to apply pressure in my capacity as MP to make sure the figures are released.” MLA Megan Fearon who sits on the Assembly’s Finance Committee said: “As someone living in a border community I see the negative effects everyday. Even a small thing like mobile roaming charges impact on the money in people’s pockets. There is so much scope for making savings by removing the border yet Sinn Fein are the only party in the country making this a priority.”
Newry Democrat
4th September 2012
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