FIANNA FÁIL HAS lead the criticism of the new coalition’s programme for government, accusing Fine Gael and Labour of ‘fudging’ on vital issues and re-announcing some of their policies.

The new Dáil’s biggest opposition party says that the agreement puts off too many decisions and there is a lack of detail on how the government will fund many of its pledges.

Fianna Fáil says that the lack of credibility and certainty on economic policy beyond 2012 will be damaging to the recovery.

Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick, said in a statement:

The programme clearly reflects an agreement to put off vital decisions about fiscal policy.  The only specifics agreed are to stick to Fianna Fáil’s budget targets for 2011 and 2012

The failure to admit or detail this is more than surprising given the scale of the self-praise they give themselves for their “openness”.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams echoed Collins in saying that that the coalition is broadly implementing the policies of Fianna Fáil whilst adding that low and middle income families will be hit hardest, according to the Irish Times.

He said:

Many of those who voted for Labour, in particular, on the promise of change will be bitterly disappointed today.

The programme for government is bad news for low and middle income families. It is bad news for the low paid, those on welfare, and public sector workers.

The continuation of an austerity approach means a further depressing of the economy and gives very little hope that jobs will be created for the unemployed.

The United Left Alliance, who has five TDs in the next Dáil, has also said the deal offers “more of the same”, according to the Irish Independent, and added that Labour had signed up for “wholesale attacks” on working people.