Voters will not be duped by election promises to abolish stamp duty for first time house buyers, Sinn Fein said today.
Just hours after the Progressive Democrats made the pledge in their election manifesto, Sinn Fein MEP Mary Lou McDonald claimed Michael McDowell's party had a credibility problem with the electorate.
"Promises were made in the last election by the PDs," the Dublin MEP said.
"People will judge their latest promises against their record of delivery.
"They promised the waiting list problem in our hospitals would be solved and look at the problem now. So they have a credibility issue.
"The issue of stamp duty is being seized upon by them and other parties and while there is no doubt there is an issue around housing, to suggest that this can be resolved by abolishing or tampering around with stamp duty is just codology.
"I don't think the electorate will be fooled by it. Developers would simply cash in and it would be absorbed by the market.
"That is why we favour a more targeted approach, with an increase in mortgage tax relief for first time buyers and the building of 70,000 new social housing units by 2012." "
Ms McDonald is bidding for a Dail seat in Bertie Ahern's Dublin Central constituency, which Sinn Fein's Nicky Kehoe came agonisingly close to capturing in 2002.
The party is hopeful the recent power sharing deal in Northern Ireland and the appointment of its team of Stormont ministers giving it strong momentum during the General Election campaign.
Ms McDonald repeated her party leader Gerry Adams' claim that Sinn Fein was aiming to be in government north and south and she dismissed Fianna Fail leader Bertie Ahern's insistence that he would not enter into any administration with them.
"I believe our party is going to return to the Dail with a much more strengthened team," she said.
"It is wildly premature for any party to rule things in and out at this stage. The electorate will cast their votes and decide the composition of the Dail and the next government.
"One thing is clear, however. Sinn Fein will not be going into any government for the sake of it. We will make our assessment on whether we should be part of any administration on the proposed programme for government and whether other parties can deliver on those issues."
Sinn Fein are targeting at least six seats in the capital — building on the two they already have in Dublin South Central and Dublin South West — with Dessie Ellis in Dublin North West, Larry O'Toole in Dublin North East, Joanne Spain in Dublin Mid West and Ms McDonald in contention for seats.
Outside Dublin, Sinn Fein is hoping Pearse Doherty and Padraig MacLochlainn can capture seats in the two Donegal constituencies, with the party also hoping for breakthrough wins in Wexford, Waterford, Sligo-Roscommon and Meath West.
Party strategists are confident Caoimhghin O Caolain, Martin Ferris and Arthur Morgan can retain their seats in Cavan-Monaghan, Kerry North and Louth.