Farren: Hain Offers All Pain, No Gain On Economy

Commenting on Secretary of State Peter Hain’s speech to the Fabian Society at Stormont, SDLP Enterprise Spokesperson Sean Farren said:

“This was really just another Peter Hain lecture, and what it offered us was all pain and no gain. Everybody agrees that we have a massive over-dependence on the public sector and that it must be addressed urgently. But it must be remembered that this over-dependence is not the product of any local political leadership. It was generated by successive British administrations pursuing quick fixes and never-ending series of short-term policies.

“Now, Peter Hain outlines measures to cut public spending over 5-6 years, but where is the other half of the story? Where are the measures, where are the incentives to ensure that the private sector can grow to fill the gap left by the cutbacks?