Wed Sep 18 01:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Sinn Féin Using Taxpayer Funds to Print Housing Plan for Nationwide Distribution
**Dublin, Ireland** – Sinn Féin is facing criticism for using taxpayer funds to print tens of thousands of copies of its housing plan, which it intends to send to every household in Ireland.
The party’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, announced the plan earlier this month, promising to deliver a printed copy to every household, but failed to specify how the distribution would be funded. It has now emerged that Sinn Féin TDs and senators are utilizing the Houses of the Oireachtas printing facility to produce the materials.
An Oireachtas source revealed that Sinn Féin members have requested between 10,000 and 20,000 copies of the plan to be printed, with an estimated total cost of €25,000. While this is not a breach of Oireachtas printing rules, other TDs expressed concern over the scale of the request.
“It’s absolutely against the spirit of the rules,” one TD said. Another added: “I’ve never seen a party request that amount of printing.”
A Sinn Féin spokesperson defended the party’s actions, stating that Sinn Féin TDs regularly utilize Oireachtas printing facilities to share information with constituents. However, the spokesperson did not address the specific number of copies requested.
Sinn Féin’s housing plan outlines a €39bn investment to build 300,000 homes over the next five years. The plan includes a new form of affordable housing for private sale, where a Sinn Féin government would own the land while a first-time buyer would own the property, priced between €250,000 and €300,000. The party also proposes the establishment of a state-run construction company to build social housing and the abolishment of stamp duty for first-time buyers on new homes worth less than €450,000.
This news comes amid ongoing debate about the use of public funds for political campaigning. Opposition parties have raised concerns over the potential misuse of public resources for party-political purposes.
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