Sinn Fein Would Hand Out €500 Grocery Card As Part Of Alternative Budget

Sinn Fein is proposing to give a million households a €500 gift card to buy essentials.

The measure is contained in the party’s alternative budget, which also includes €400 in energy credits for all households.

It also promises to phase out the local property tax and introduce a €600 charge on people who own more than one property - which would be charged per property owned.

Wicklow Wexford TD Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin outlines some of the measures they would like the Government to introduce:

"We have plans for 10,000 extra social and affordable homes, a ban on rent increases for three years and a doubling of the renters tax credit.

"We would also introduce a €500 card for groceries or other spending but can't be spent on alcohol or things like that."

Cuts to the cost of childcare, increases to social welfare and large cost of living packages all feature in the party's plans.

Sinn Féin also says it would introduce a windfall tax on energy profits and use it to fund energy credits.

All eyes will be on the Dail next Tuesday when Tanaiste Simon Harris will reveal his first Budget since taking up the role of Minister for Finance.

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.