He claimed the 2012 Budget highlighted a lack of attention to issues specific to the economic situation in the Northern Ireland and Murphy, who is also Sinn Fein Economy Spokesperson, reiterated his Party’s demand for increased fiscal powers for the Assembly. Murphy said, “The Budget by British Chancellor, George Osborne this week once more demonstrated the predictable focus of the British government on the economy of the island of Britain with the North of Ireland peripheral to any measures intended to rebalance the economy. While unionists rail against transfer of increased fiscal powers with spurious excuses about threats to the block grant, the British government has no difficulty recognising where its focus needs to be regardless of the effect on the economy of the North.