The following is a selection from the main features of the ProgressiveDemocrats' manifestoWe will allow ESB, Aer Lingus, Bord Gáis, Commercial Portsto achieve corporate independence and to secure theirdevelopment as private companies
ECOMOMY
The Progressive Democrats are giving three clear guarantees on fiscal policy if returned to government after the forthcoming general election:
One, we guarantee that there will be no borrowing to fund current spending.
Two, we guarantee that there will be no increases in direct taxation.
Three, we guarantee that there will be no raiding of the National Pension Reserve Fund to finance any government spending programmes.
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
We need to invest in roads, in railways, in housing, in our health and educational systems. We must redress our infrastructural deficit if we want this country to achieve its full potential in terms of economic growth and improved quality of life. The challenge facing the new government is to redress that deficit without resorting to massive tax increases, without damaging the stability of the public finances, and without risking our long-term financial security by raiding the National Pension Reserve Fund.
The Progressive Democrats in government will put increased Exchequer resources into the public capital programme. We are prepared to borrow for capital purposes but we will ensure that such borrowing is kept to a minimum in order to keep Ireland well inside EU prudential limits on the general government balance. However, we do not believe that this money will be sufficient for the magnitude of the task involved.
Accordingly, we will pursue a threefold strategy to increase the pace and the scale of capital investment in public infrastructure:
First, in competitive sectors we will shift the burden of investment from the public sector to the private sector.
Second, we will give the private sector a greater role in the design, management and financing of public infrastructure projects.
Third, we will use the sale of State assets to raise extra funds for public capital projects.
The overall impact of our strategy will be to make substantial extra funding available for infrastructural investment while maintaining the stability of the public finances.
The Progressive Democrats will establish a National Transformation Fund to help finance the most ambitious public capital investment programme in the history of the State. The new fund will derive revenue from:
the sale of State assets where there is no longer a case for such assets remaining in public ownership
windfall gains accruing to the Exchequer such as income from the sale of licences and other once-off items.
the excess foreign reserves of the Central Bank.
TAX
The Progressive Democrats are strong believers in the incentive power of low taxation.
we will not increase taxation on employment by raising PRSI
we will not increase taxation on investment by raising capital gains tax
we will not increase taxation on enterprise by raising corporation tax
we will not increase taxation on inheritance by raising capital acquisitions tax.
And we will implement a programme of further responsible reductions in the burden of personal income tax over the lifetime of the next government.
The Progressive Democrats in government will reduce the standard rate of corporation tax to 12.5 per cent in the first budget of the next administration.
We will introduce legislation to guarantee that the 12.5 per cent rate will remain in force at least up until 2025.
We guarantee that there will be no increase in the level of employer PRSI during the lifetime of the next government.
We undertake also to maintain the ceiling on employee PRSI.
STATE ASSETS
The Progressive Democrats will restructure the State's portfolio of commercial assets.
Our strategy has two key objectives: (i) to secure the future of the commercial State companies and of those who work in them, and (ii) to release funds from the State's existing portfolio of corporate and property assets to finance investment in a new set of assets in the area of social and economic infrastructure. We recognise the pivotal role which the commercial State companies play in the Irish economy; our strategy will give them the strength to meet the challenge of change.
The Progressive Democrats will release companies from State control where that is in the best long-term interest of the taxpayer, the companies themselves and those who work in them.
During the term of the next government we will allow the following enterprises to achieve corporate independence and to secure their future development as private companies:
ESB, Aer Lingus, Bord Gáis, Commercial Ports.
We will retain in public ownership sectors such as railways, water, sewerage services and electricity transmission. We propose that employee share ownership trust arrangements apply in all cases where companies move in whole or part from public-sector ownership to private-sector ownership
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
A new Department of Transport will be responsible for strategic decision-making, the formulation of transport policy, the co-ordination of activity in the sector, and the allocation of public investment and public subsidy. Its remit will cover roads, ports, airports and public transport - including buses, trains and taxis.
Transport Regulatory Commission: We will entrust responsibility for the regulation of all aspects of transport activity to a single regulatory commission
Transport Safety Authority: A single authority will be set up which will have responsibility for safety across all the different transport modes.
The Progressive Democrats in government will build on the substantial progress that has been made and implement a range of new initiatives to revitalise the Irish rail system over the next five years. We will:
establish Iarnród Éireann as an independent State company in its own right with full management autonomy
give the company a clear mandate to run a fast, modern and reliable rail system capable of commanding the confidence of the travelling public
set performance standards for the company with regard to punctuality, reliability and customer service
provide the financial resources necessary to transform the Irish rail system, with a particular concentration on improvements that can be delivered within a 30-month timeframe
On the national network, we will:
ensure that there is an adequate fleet of high-quality carriages available on every route to cope safely and comfortably with passenger demand
offer improved frequencies and shorter journey times on all inter-city routes
refurbish and modernise stations on the network
selectively reopen services on routes which were abandoned during the closure programme of the 1960s and 1970s.
Dublin:
The immediate priority for the Progressive Democrats will be to increase the carrying capacity of the DART and suburban rail network by 50% within 30 months.
Luas: Using public-private partnerships where appropriate we will extend Line A from Red Cow to Citywest and Saggart, Line A from Connolly to Docklands, Line B from Sandyford to Cherrywood (compatible with conversion of Line B to metro status).
And we will provide high-speed bus links from Luas at Heuston to the western suburbs and via the Phoenix Park to Blanchardstown and the north-western suburbs.
ROADS
The Progressive Democrats identify three major sources of finance for the roads programme:
Exchequer Finance: We will make prudent increases in the level of Exchequer provision. Such increases will be consistent with the sound management of the public finances and with the need to keep well within the prudential limits set by the European Stability and Growth Pact.
Private Finance: We will make maximum use of private finance initiatives to accelerate the delivery of the national roads programme, with particular reference to the motorway network and the major river crossings at Limerick and Waterford.
National Transformation Fund: We will use the National Transformation Fund to makeavailable substantial additional resources for the development of national infrastructure, including national road infrastructure.
We will provide the resources for the systematic implementation of the penalty points system to discourage bad and dangerous driving practices.
WASTE
The Progressive Democrats believe that, with resolute action, Ireland's waste management problems can be solved over the next five years.
The Progressive Democrats are committed to the achievement of clear policy objectives.
Under an integrated national waste management system we will:
implement a national waste reduction and waste minimisation programme
require all local authorities to meet definite recycling targets for municipal waste
create stable long-term markets for the main recyclable products
cut substantially the volume of biodegradable waste going to landfill by 2006.
The Progressive Democrats will use the taxation and charging system to encourage waste reduction in a number of areas. The Progressive Democrats are confident that Ireland's waste management problems can be solved without resort to mass-burn incineration.
HEALTH
The Progressive Democrats in Government adopted the Health Strategy. In implementing it, we will place an emphasis on:
ending waiting lists for hospital treatments, using the Treatment Purchase Fund
expanding primary health care teams for more services in the community, for example, diagnostic tests and physiotherapy
extending services for people with intellectual disabilities
extending care for older people, including the expansion of "step-down" facilities for after-hospital care
using the private sector to contract for public health services
The Progressive Democrats will ensure that in the next government, regional cancer care centres are established so that patients do not have to travel 100 miles for ongoing radiotherapy. This will be an immediate priority for us.
CHILDCARE
The Progressive Democrats support parents in the variety of choices they make. We do not favour one form of childcare over another. The policies we will implement in government are aimed at supporting all parents.Child Benefit is a fair and equal support for all parents. In government, the Progressive Democrats will continue to increase Child Benefit, completing the three-year programme in the budget later this year to bring it to €150 a month (for the first and second child).
After then we will continue to provide real increases in Child Benefit. In government, we will:
fund 40,000 new childcare places
increase capital grants for community and private childcare facilities, raising the present capital budget, from €20 million to €60 million annually. We will:
double the €50,000 limit on capital grants to private childcare facilities to €100,000, subject to overall compliance with EU State Aids rules. We will seek to make the application process for capital grants more streamlined.
continue staffing grants to support community groups and not-for-profit organisations that provide childcare in disadvantaged areas.
introduce a special 2-year working visa scheme for international childminders.
carry out a review of regulations of crèches and childcare facilities to remove, where possible, barriers to setting up and expanding services, consistent with health and safety requirements.
amend the Planning and Development Act to make it easier to obtain planning permission for childcare facilities and to overcome objections.
seek practical ways for the State to help meet the insurance cost of school buildings which are used for after-school care.
In line with practice in other countries, we will introduce a two-year working visa for childminders from non-European Economic Area countries who wish to learn English and provide child-minding at the same time.
CRIME
All substantive criminal law will be codified into a single Crimes Act, dealing with homicide, violence, property offences, dishonesty, corruption, public order, arrest, criminal procedure and court jurisdiction, uniform sentencing procedure and policies, defences such as insanity and incapacity.
Part of the major reform of criminal law will be legislation laying down uniform guidelines and principles in relation to the punishment of offenders. A new statutory basis will be provided for probation, parole and rehabilitation.
Greater emphasis will be laid on the use of fines in all cases whether or not prison sentences are imposed. Fines will be payable into a central fund which will be administered though a statutory Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal to compensate crime victims for personal injuries
Further measures will be introduced to suppress violent street crime, including closure of premises that are the focus or source of violent behaviour. Local Authorities will be empowered to make bye-laws with the consent of the Garda and the minister to control behaviour in particular trouble-spots.
We will introduce new legislative provisions to deal adequately with crimes committed by juveniles, including provisions to update sentencing, rehabilitation and training.
We will provide the residential facilities and the support services required to deal with young offenders.
We will develop specialised Traffic Police within the Garda which will use the new penalty points system to ensure compliance with the law.
We will increase the strength of the Garda Síochána by 2,000 members.
We will introduce a reserve police force for effective community policing, helping the Garda to maintain public order and combat street crime.
We will also extend CCTV to urban crime blackspots.