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Tag: Caoimhe Archibald

  • Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on the Northern Ireland Protocol

    Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on the Northern Ireland Protocol

    The comments made by Caoimhe Archibald, the Sinn Fein MLA for East Londonderry, on 23 August 2022.

    We are facing an increasingly challenging economic outlook driven by high inflation and spiralling costs for businesses, workers and families.

    The Protocol provides important protections for businesses here from the worst impacts of Brexit, it prevents a hard border on this island, and it protects the all-island economy.

    Economic evidence is showing the Protocol is helping to create jobs and attract investment and our businesses are benefiting from unique access to both the EU and British markets. This needs to be built upon.

    The British government’s intention to break international law and tear up an international agreement by pursuing the Protocol Bill which the Business Brexit Working Group has today said will create a ‘myriad’ of risk for many businesses.

    There now needs to be renewed talks and good faith engagement between the EU and the British government to provide businesses and wider society with certainty and stability.

  • Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Supporting Businesses in Northern Ireland

    Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Supporting Businesses in Northern Ireland

    The comments made by Caoimhe Archibald, the Economic Spokesperson for Sinn Fein, on 16 August 2022.

    We are in the midst of a cost-of-living emergency which has reduced the ability of workers and families to buy even basics with some people facing the choice between heating or eating.

    This has had a knock-on effect on retailers who have experienced the biggest drop in sales in ten years which has resulted in businesses closing their doors as they struggle to cope with rising costs, particularly of energy bills.

    Inflation is at a 40-year high and workers and families are struggling with ongoing rises to the price of food, fuel and electricity.

    There is a real onus on the British Government to allocate funding to support our businesses and protect jobs, to date they have failed to take any action to help businesses.

    The reduced rate of VAT should also be reintroduced for businesses that had it reduced during the pandemic, including bars and restaurants.

    The British government must get real on the impact of the soaring cost of living and cost of doing business.

    The DUP should end its boycott of our democratic institutions so we can get money out to those who are struggling.

  • Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on the Cost of Living

    Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on the Cost of Living

    The comments made by Caoimhe Archibald, Sinn Fein’s Spokesperson on the Economy, on 18 June 2022.

    For months the cost of living has been on a steep upward trajectory, inflation is now predicted to hit 11% over the next couple of months and this is impacting on workers, families and businesses.”Boris Johnson and his government need to listen to workers and act now.

    While the Tory government did announce some measures in recent weeks, further action is urgently needed, particularly in relation to rising petrol and diesel costs.

    Petrol and diesel prices are heading towards £2.00 per litre and many people are calculating the cost of every journey and only making the ones they can’t avoid.

    The British government should act immediately to cut duty on fuel further and also slash VAT on fuel and energy.

    Workers and families are struggling as their pay packets don’t go as far now as they previously would have, and we need to empower workers to uphold their rights to decent pay and conditions.

    We need the DUP to join immediately with other parties to form an Executive so we can tackle the cost of living crisis and get money into the pockets of workers and families.

  • Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Struggling Workers in Northern Ireland

    Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Struggling Workers in Northern Ireland

    The comments made by Caoimhe Archibald, the Sinn Fein Economy spokesperson, on 11 May 2022.

    The DUP must immediately drop its boycott of the institutions and get back into the Executive so we are in a position to take decisions to support struggling workers and families.

    The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has stated that 43,000 households in the north face food and energy costs which are higher than their income.

    Sinn Féin has a plan to give every household in the north £230, that money can go straight into people’s pockets if we can form an Executive.

    Right now people across the north are worrying about how they will feed their families or heat their homes, addressing this must be the priority for an incoming Executive and attempts to delay or block the formation of an Executive are unforgivable.

    Sinn Féin and other parties were given a mandate to tackle the cost of living crisis and to put money into people’s pockets, this must be done without delay.