FF Policy Guide Spring 2012

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Fianna FilPolicy Guide

SPRING2012


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IntroductionA undamental element o Fianna Fils renewal will

be based on the quality o the solutions we ofer. Thechallenges our country aces will not be overcomewith alse promises, media spin, or populist slogans.They will only be overcome by credible policies thatofer real solutions or the people o Ireland.

Every member has a role to play in the process o ourpolicy renewal, a process which is underway. Membersshould be encouraged to contribute to policyormulation and we should all be aware o our Partys

policy positions, and we should all communicatethem.

The eforts o grassroots members and supporterswill be vital to ensure that Fianna Fil remains at theheart o communities across the country. This guidehas been prepared with that in mind. Please read it,and use it.

It contains some o our key achievements during our

time in Government. It also contains inormationabout our policy positions, and some o the Billswe have introduced in the Oireachtas. Finally, itcontains inormation about Fine Gael and Laboursbroken promises, ollowing their deeply cynical electioncampaigns last year.

More detailed policy papers are available rom ourPolicy and Research Unit in Leinster House.

Michel Martin TD

Uachtarn Fhianna Fil

Contents

2Fianna FilAchievements1997-2011

8PolicyPositions

17Bills IntroducedBy Fianna Fil in

Opposition

21Fine Gael &Labours BrokenPromises

Fianna Fil Headquarters,

65,66 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.

01-676 [email protected]

C www.acebook.com/fiannaail

L www.twitter.com/fiannaailparty

www.fiannaail.ie

INTRODUCTION& CONTENTS


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Fianna Fil Policy

Achievements 1997 2011Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Fin have sought to undermine and diminish the

advances our nation made during our time in ofce. However, despite the

current difculties, Fianna Fil oversaw a transormation in the acilities,

outlook and expectations o our country.

Achieved Peace in Northern Ireland

We have overseen historic developments including the Good FridayAgreement in 1998 and the Hillsborough Agreement in February2010 which led to the devolution o policing and justice powers romLondon to Belast

Delivered More Jobs

The greatest economic achievement since the mid-1990s has beenthe sustained increase in the numbers employed, with over 400,000more people working when we let oce than in 1997.

Numbers in employment at end 2010 were at around 1.85 million,even ater the global economic crisis.

Sustained Foreign Direct Investment

By the time we let Government, we were the number one in theworld or jobs created by Foreign Direct Investment. The IFSCemployed over 30,000 at the end o 2010, up rom 5,000 in 1997

FDI supported approx 240,000 jobs directly and indirectly. Eight o the top 10 high-tech and pharmaceutical firms and 15 o the

top 20 medical devices firms were based in Ireland.

Built an Export-Based Economy

Irish exports in 2010 reached the highest level ever at 161 billion,representing growth o 6.7% on the previous year.

We were the worlds second largest exporter o computer and ITservices behind only India and ahead o Germany, the UK andthe United States.

In financial services, 1.7 trillion o unds are administered here.

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Introduced a Favourable Corporate Tax Regime

We introduced, and ought to maintain, our CorporateTax regime, despite pressure to end it.

The 12.5% rate is rightly credited as a key actor or our successin attracting the thousands o companies investing here romabroad.

Made Ireland a Good Place to do Business

By the end o 2010, Ireland was ranked 9th out o 183 countries inthe world by the World Bank in terms o ease o doing business.

In 2011, IBM named Ireland the top destination in the world ororeign direct investment in terms o the value o the projectsand investment it attracts.

Invested in the Innovation Fund and the Smart Economy

Fianna Fil in Government set up a 500 million InnovationFund to support enterprise development and job creation by

drawing top venture capitalists to Ireland. We produced Trading and Investing in the Smart Economy

in September 2010, which aimed to generate 150,000 jobs andboost exports by one third.

Fianna Fil can be proud o our record in investment in Research& Development which has enhanced small and mediumbusinesses most o which are exporting goods.

In 2000 we set up Science Foundation Ireland and since thenIreland has ascended the international rankings o researchcapability rom a position o 36th in 2003 to the top 20 in 2008.

Built a World Renowned Education System

Pupil teacher ratios went rom 24:1 to 16:1 rom 1997 to 2011. In 1997, there were 100,204 ull time students enrolled in higher

education institutions in Ireland. This had risen to 159,056 in

2010, a 59% increase. At end 2010, there were 10,543 SNAs in place, compared

with just 250 in 1997.



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Developed a Highly Skilled Workorce

The Irish labour orce is among the best educated in the world;the share o population aged 25-34 with a third level qualificationis higher than in the US or the UK, and is above the OECDaverage.

We were 4th in the world in terms o skilled labour and 6th orlabour productivity by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook2010.

Achieved Massive Improvements in Health We have made major strides in tackling cancer with survival rates

or almost all types o cancer having improved, developing aNational Cancer Control Programme, and national cancer screeningprogrammes such as CervicalCheck and BreastCheck.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), which purchasestreatment or public patients, had treated almost 170,000 patientsup to the end o 2010.

The WHO ranked Ireland 19th out o 191 countries or its Healthsystem in 2010.

Ensured a Better Quality o Lie

In 2010, the lie expectancy at birth or men in Ireland was 78.7years, and or women was 83.2 years. This represents an increaseo 5.3 years or men and 4.5 years or women since 1997.

We introduced the Tobacco Ban in work places, which hasimproved quality o lie or workers and consumers andhighlighted the dangers o smoking.

In 2003, we established the Health Inormation Quality Authority(HIQA) to drive quality & patient saety in our health services.

Prioritised Children

We introduced the ree pre-school year, with 66,000 childrenbenefitting rom it, and increased Child Benefit.

We reormed children and amily services in the HSE andrecruited an extra 200 social workers in 2010 to support



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the provision o every child in care with a social worker.

We made the building o the National Childrens Hospitala priority.

Protected the Elderly

State pensions were protected in successive budgets. We increased the number in receipt o home help services

to 54,000 in 2010.

We introduced the Fair Deal Nursing Home Support Scheme toease financial pressures on thousands o amilies all over Ireland.

In 2010, those aged 65 could expect to live almost 4 years longerthan those aged 65 in 1997.

Transormed Our Transport Network

Over 8 billion was invested in our local and national roadnetwork during our time in Government.

We upgraded the M50 and completed the major inter-urbanroads programme 750km o motorway linking Dublin with theprincipal cities in the country, reducing journey times, increasingthe reliability o journeys and improving road saety.

We significantly expanded rail services, including commuterservices and completed phase one o the Western Rail Corridor.

The Irish Rail fleet was overhauled, we introduced the Luas,and bus services were expanded massively.

Made our Roads Saer

Thanks to our strict enorcement o road saety legislation,we now have one o the best road saety records in the EU.

Road deaths have allen by almost 50% rom 1997 to 2010. Random Breath Testing was introduced.

Introduced Ground-breaking Anti-Crime Legislation

We took action to tackle gangland crime head on, introducingmajor pieces o legislation to help Garda catch and prosecutecriminals.



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The number o Garda jumped by almost 40% rom 1997 to14,600 in 2011. In the same time, we built almost 2,000 prison

places.

Ensured a Fairer Society

We introduced Civil Partnership.Protected Our Environment

We invested some 1 billion in water supply inrastructureunder the Water Services Investment Programme between2000 and 2009.

We ocussed on creating thousands o jobs in the areas osmart meters, smart networks, electric vehicles, wind energy,home insulation and green technology.

The quality o our rivers improved ollowing investmentin sewerage systems.

We introduced the plastic bag tax.Invested in our Energy & Communications Inrastructure

We oversaw increasing liberalisation o the energy market whichdrove down costs, including the creation o the single energymarket.

Energy eciency was a priority and we invested in the WarmerHomes Scheme and the Building Energy Rating Scheme.

We delivered a 223 million National Broadband Scheme oneo the first countries in the world to do so.

Invested in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Communities

We consistently supported agriculture and fisheries. By end 2010,the sector saw 7 billion in exports, accounting or over hal omanuacturing exports by Irish owned firms.

We produced Food Harvest 2020 which recognised agricultureand the agri-ood industry as key to our economic recovery. TheStrategy represents the road map or the industry or the next 10years.



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Protected the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht

We enacted the Ocial Language Act, set up the Oce o theLanguage Commissioner, established Fors na Gaeilge, expandedthe provision o 3rd level education through Irish, and publishedthe 20 Year Strategy.

We succeeded in making Irish a working language o the EU. We provided significant unding or the Gaeltacht and Islands or

dealing with the inrastructure deficit.



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Policy PositionsAs you meet members o the public, it is important that you are awareo our policy positions. The below are a ew o Fianna Fils positionsin key areas, and associated Party messages. More detailed policydocuments are available rom our Policy and Research Unit.

FinanceBudget 2012

When this Fine Gael/Labour Government came to oce lastMarch, the Budget or the year had already been passed or

them, despite their trenchant opposition to it. Now, they will be judged on their actions, and their

political choices.

They have now introduced a socially regressive budget. Itsimpact will be elt hardest by low and middle income amilieswith children, by young people with disabilities, by vulnerableelderly people, by those in rural communities, and by studentstrying to build a better uture.

The rontloading o the VAT increase o 2% will cost jobs. They perormed a dramatic u-turn on their pledges to ban

upward-only rent reviews, representing yet another brokenpromise.

Personal Insolvency Bill/ Helping Mortgage Holders

We have published comprehensive personal insolvencylegislation that efectively deals with the major problems o

both unsecured and mortgage debt. Fianna Fil published a Bill to establish a Debt Settlement and

Mortgage Resolution Oce which would provide an independent,non-judicial debt settlement system or persons struggling withpersonal debt and those in diculties withtheir mortgage.

We also published the Family Home Bill and the Regulation oDebt Management Advisors Bill.

Croke Park/Public Service Retirements

The first annual review o the Croke Park Agreement last year

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showed that employees in the public service, the trade unionstogether with management have brought about substantial

savings, eciencies and reorm in the running o the publicand civil service.

The main challenge now is to ensure that rontline services areprotected and the public is not made to sufer reduced orimpaired services.

Unortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that they areailing to achieve this balance the HSE has said that the biggestimpediment to the sae delivery o health services this year is theavailability o staf.

The Early Retirement Scheme is being mismanaged by theGovernment, and rontline services are bound to sufer.

Fiscal Compact Treaty Fianna Fil consistently called or a Reerendum on the Fiscal

Compact Treaty. We believe the people should be consulted.Our core principle was that the Treaty should not damage thedemocratic legitimacy o the European Union with the Irishpeople.

The Government should not have waited or the legal advicebeore proceeding with the Reerendum. It is a pity that ministersdid everything they could to avoid having a reerendum.

The Fiscal Compact adds to the checks and balances againstmismanagement introduced last year at EU level.

We have sought and have received clarification on CorporationTax and the other protocols attached to the Lisbon Treaty.

For these reasons, we support the Fiscal Compact and willbe advocating a Yes vote.

Jobs & EnterpriseTackling Unemployment

The average rate o unemployment in the past 12 months duringwhich the Government has been in oce is 14.2%, as opposed to

13.7% the year beore. There are now almost 440,000 people on the Live Register, with

more than hal o them being unemployed or more than a year.

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That is approximately the same figure as at the start o 2011. According to the best estimate, at least 77,000 people have

emigrated during the past 12 months. Budget 2012 contained many anti-business measures. For

example, the retail sector is being hit hard by the Governmentsdecision to ront-load a 2% VAT increase this year. This willinevitably lead to job losses in the coming months.

Their cuts to the Capital Programme have cost 9000 jobs. The raid on the private pension und was very unair and has

not delivered the jobs it was expected to do.

Action Plan on Jobs

The plan contains a significant lack o imagination and ocusesmore on organisational changes rather than stimulus measuresto create jobs.

It included announcements o what was already in place. Therehas been no new unding announced alongside this plan andmost worrying is the lack o any specific job creation target or

2012. Dissolving the 35 city and county enterprise boards and

establishing a new network o Local Enterprise Oces (LEOs)in each Local Authority appears to be an unnecessary exercisein optics that will disrupt the system that could simply bestrengthened and provided with additional unding.

Our pre-budget submission showed how Government couldprovide extra support or city and county enterprise boards.

Our Strategy to Deal With the Jobs Crisis

Fianna Fils proposals or Budget 2012 do not include the 2%VAT increase.

Fianna Fil has ocused on targeted measures to stimulatethe domestic economy in order to create jobs:

Pension und levy reorm,

Increased capital expenditure,Ability to pay clause in commercial rates andSmall business stimulus measures.

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We believe the ocus o taxation measures should be onreducing tax expenditures and broadening the tax base.

We believe that restoring the public finances and prioritisingsupports or the enterprise sector provide the essential bedrockupon which recovery will be built.

Restoring confidence or investors and consumers willhave a very direct positive impact on job creation.

HealthBudget cuts

Despite the spin about prioritising and reorming health services,Minister or Health James Reilly is taking more than 750 millionout o the health budget in 2012.

Frontline services are bound to sufer in the ace o such amassive cut.

In the last year there has been a 47% increase in those waitinggreater than 6 months or surgery.

There will be a urther reduction o staf employed in ourhealth service and on top o this the Government expects a 10%reduction in overtime and allowances.

The volume o services will be reduced and there will be atrebling o the waiting times or procedures (rom 3 to 9 months).

The oldest, the sickest and the most vulnerable will be hithardest.

National Childrens Hospital

The Government must ensure that the Childrens Hospitalproceeds even i it requires emergency legislation.

The needs o sick children and the provision o world classacilities must be our top priority.

This is especially true in light o ever expanding numbers ochildren on waiting lists and overcrowding in the A&Es ochildrens hospitals with some waiting over 24hours or treatment.

Closures to Community Nursing Units

It seems to be Fine Gael and Labour policy to close all public

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beds or the elderly and to bring an end to community hospitals,with almost 900 beds and multiple community nursing units to

close this year. There does not seem to be a plan to deal with these closures. It

represents an attack on public services to the elderly.

We believe that a comprehensive plan or the sector needs to bedeveloped, not ad hoc closures causing anxiety and distress topatients in these acilities.

Increasing Insurance Costs & Universal Health Insurance

Fine Gael & Labours plans to introduce universal health insuranceare in chaos. There is no White Paper, no costing, and no plan. There are huge hidden costs in the UHI model o healthcare. The

last thing our health service needs now is a structural overhaul,especially i it is towards privatised healthcare.

Meanwhile, policy holders are abandoning private health insurersdue to increasing prices, driven heavily by the Governmentsactions (increasing the insurance levy, increasing VAT).

This is causing increased strain on an already overstretchedpublic system. Measures proposed in the budget will onlyexacerbate the crisis.

EducationCuts to small schools

Fine Gael and Labour unairly targeted rural communities inBudget 2012 meaning they will bear a disproportionate cost o

decisions taken. The decision to introduce phased adjustments at primary level

in 2012 to stang schedules or 1, 2, 3 and 4 teacher schools willlead to a dramatic increased pupil teacher ratio in rural primaryschools leading to large numbers o closures and amalgamations.

The protection o small rural schools has been a critical issue orFianna Fil.

Cuts to DEIS Only 235 o the current 428 posts in DEIS schools will

be retained.

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This means that children at disadvantaged schools are stillacing larger class sizes and cuts in support rom September

We have called on the Government to reverse what is the mostregressive and unair budget cut or many years. Numerous independent reports have shown DEIS to be

working and having a hugely positive impact on literacy andnumeracy.

Third Level Fees

Fine Gael and Labour took a number o decisions in Budget 2012that will restrict the ability o young people and the unemployedto go on to third level.

The Government announced that it intends to increase thestudent contribution ee by 250 in 2012 and abolish supportsor postgraduate students entering college next year.

Labour is the party who said a year ago that they would reversethe 500 increase in the Student Services Charge and thatit was opposed to third-level fees by either the front or back

doors.

EnvironmentSeptic Tanks

Fianna Fil ully supports securing clean water across thecountryside.

We accept the need or a registration system or private wastewater systems.

However we believe that there should be no registration orappeals ee, and that a grant system or upgrades shouldbe put in place.

We still do not know what standards are going to be appliedduring inspections.

The recent reduction in the registration charge to 5 is apolitical stroke by Minister Hogan designed to distract rom

the major issue o Septic Tank upgrade costs. It also highlights the potentially unsustainable financing o

the inspection schemes.

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Household charge

A property tax was part o the EU/IMF agreement and theinterim charge was included in our 4 year plan and 2012 budgetsubmission.

Fianna Fil believes that the introduction o an interim propertytax beore the establishment o a ull site valuation charge shouldbe subject to a series o exemptions or those under severefinancial pressure.

Legislation should exempt those struggling to make ends meet,such as those with high level o mortgage arrears, negative

equity, welare dependency and persons who paidstamp duty.

Social Welare

Fianna Fil continues to emphasise the need or a saety netor the most vulnerable in society and those afected by theeconomic crisis.

The advances we made across social welare programs should beprotected.

The changed European context and prospects or EU support orbank re-capitalisation means that we should be in a position tosave money on the banks that we can use to protect thoseafected by the crisis.

Government emphasis should be placed upon urther anti-raudsavings and job creation to reduce social expenditure.

Foreign AfairsThe Vatican Embassy Closure

Fianna Fil is opposed to the closure o the Vatican embassy. Webelieve that our oreign relations should reflect shared values andthat closing the embassy will save very little in monetary termswhen compared to the lost diplomatic opportunities itentails.

Government Ministers and TDs are attempting to play both sideso the argument by declaring they are against the closure andcalling or a review.

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At a time o strained relations with the Vatican what is needed ismore diplomacy, not less, to repair relations.

The Vatican embassy represents one o Ireland oldest diplomaticties o the state with a diplomatic presence to the Holy See beingestablished there in 1929 when the Vatican City state as it existstoday was first ounded.

Political Reorm The Electoral Amendment Political Funding Bill 2011 states that

Political parties will ace a cut o hal their State political unding

i they do not have at least 30% women and 30% men candidatesat the next general election. This will then rise to 40% ater aurther 7 years.

Breaking the link between business and politics is an integral parto Fianna Fils vision o a renewed politics or Ireland.

We have launched our own bill on Political Funding which,combined with our bill on the mandatory registering o lobbyists,aims to restore public trust in the integrity o the political

process. We are setting out a more active approach to encouraging

balanced political participation that is not solely limited toquotas.

The Irish Language & the Gaeltacht A commitment to the use and promotion o the Irish language

is a central tenet o Fianna Fil policy. Fianna Fil has a proud record on delivering or the Gaeltacht

and has made unprecedented levels o investment in theGaeltacht.

We supported the Irish language as a community language inthe Gaeltacht and transormed the inrastructure o theGaeltacht and the islands.

Unlike Fine Gael and Labour, we are committed to retainingthe enterprise unction o dars, recognising that keepingour national language alive requires active employmentin Gaeltacht regions and continued creation o new jobs.

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Legislation Introduced by

Fianna Fil in OppositionFollowing the election, Fianna Fil committed to providing credible

solutions and policies to take us out o the current difculties. We have

introduced 20 major pieces o legislation since last February on a range

o issues which we brought orward in that spirit. This compares with

Sinn Fin who have introduced just 3 Bills in the same period. Below is

our list o the Bills we have introduced in the Oireachtas while in

opposition.

1. Electoral (Amendment) (Political Donations) Bill

Bill to restrict the making o donations or political purposes bycompanies, trade unions, societies or building societies, to amendthe law relating to the disclosure o donations to political partiesand individuals, to provide or the auditing o the accounts opolitical parties and to implement the recommendations relating

to political unding contained within the Second Report o theTribunal o Inquiry into Payments to Politicians

2. Registration o Wills Bill

Bill to provide or the extension o the Civil Registration Serviceto the registration o certain inormation regarding wills and orthose purposes to revise the law relating to the Civil RegistrationService and to provide or related matters

3. Mobile Phone Radiation Warning Bill

Bill to provide that a warning label shall be axed to theexterior casing o mobile phones and on related packaging,which shall state clearly that mobile phones emitelectromagnetic radiation

4. Twenty-Ninth Amendment o the Constitution (No. 3) BillBill to deal with the adoption o children in cases o parentalailure and adoption o children o marriage.

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5. Family Home Bill

Bill to prohibit the granting o a court order or the possession

o a amily home except in circumstances where the court hasbeen presented with a verifiable, detailed and independentanalysis o the repayment capacity o the amily home owner, andwhere the court has had an opportunity to review the originalmortgage application, and consideration is given to a range oalternative actions that will seek to protect the homeownerspossession o the amily home

6. Industrial Relations (Amendment) BillBill to make urther and better provisions or promotingharmonious relations between workers and employers, to preventand/or settle trade disputes, to provide principles and policies towhich a Joint Labour Committee must have regard whenormulating proposals to submit to the Labour Court orEmployment Regulation Orders, to provide or the making oan Employment Regulation Order by the Minister.

7. Regulation o Debt Management Advisors Bill

Bill to make provision in relation to debt management advisorsand or the authorisation and supervision o debt managementadvisors by the Central Bank o Ireland and the Minister orFinance and to provide or related matters

8. Debt Settlement And Mortgage

Resolution Ofce Bill

Bill to reorm the law on personal insolvency; to provide or anon-judicial debt settlement arrangement process concerningpersonal debt; to provide or a non-judicial mortgage resolutionorder concerning mortgages over amily homes; to provide or adebt relie order or personal debt where a debt settlementarrangement or bankruptcy is not appropriate; to reorm thelaw on the enorcement o personal debt, including individual

enorcement mechanisms; to provide or the establishment o adebt enorcement oce, which includes a debt settlement andmortgage resolution oce; to provide or the licensing and



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regulation o personal insolvency trustees and debt collectionundertakings; and to provide or related matters

9. Central Bank and Financial Services Authorityo Ireland (Amendment) Bill

Bill to make provision to empower the Financial ServicesOmbudsman to report on investigations and adjudications oregulated financial service providers arising rom consumercomplaints made about the conduct o regulated financialservice providers

10. Advertising, Labelling and Presentationo Fast Food at Fast Food Outlets Bill

Bill to make provision or rules governing the advertising,labelling and presentation o ast ood at ast ood outlets

11. 29th Amendment to the Constitution(Corporate Donations) Bill

Bill to end Corporate Donations to political parties and reormpolitical donations

12. Local Authority Public Administration Bill

Bill to compel local authorities to provide members o the publicand public representatives with substantive replies to writtencommunications within a prescribed period o time

13. NAMA and Irish Bank Resolution

Corporation Transparency Bill

Bill to provide that, in the interests o transparency, all relevantdetails o loans, properties, or other assets ofered or sale byor with the approval o NAMA or the Irish Bank ResolutionCorporation be available to the public by means o publicationon a website

14. Corporate Manslaughter Bill

Bill entitled an Act to create the indictable ofence o corporate



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manslaughter by an undertaking, to create the indictable ofenceo grossly negligent management causing death by a high

managerial agent o the undertaking, and to provide orrelated matters

15. Criminal Justice (Aggravated False Imprisonment) Bill

Bill entitled an Act to amend the provisions o the Non-FatalOfences against the Person Act 1997 to provide or the creationo the statutory ofence o Aggravated False Imprisonment (tigerkidnappings)

16. Register o Lobbyists Bill

The Bill seeks to give efect to the recommendations o theOECD on Principles or Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying2010 and to provide or an efective and air ramework ortransparent and open access to the development andimplementation o public policy. The Bill provides or (a) theStandards in Public Oce Commission to operate as the

Registrar o Lobbyists, (b) the registration o lobbyists, (c)the filing o returns by lobbyists, (d) public access to thosereturns, (e) codes o conduct or lobbyists and () relatedmatters

17. Spent Convictions Bill

The Bill is aimed at addressing a significant gap in our presentarrangements. It takes account o an insightul report in 2007

rom the Law Reorm Commission on spent convictions.

18. Health (Proessional Care) Bill

The Bill would amend the Health Act 2007 to provide or theregulation o proessional home care.

19. Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill

This Bill aims to urther copper asten equality legislation byensuring individuals cannot be discriminated against whenapplying or jobs in religious institutions. It maintains the right



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o the institutions in protecting their ethos when selecting and

maintaining staf but prevents discrimination on sexual

orientation or civil status grounds.

20. Entrepreneur Visa Bill

The Bill aims to establish an employment based immigrant visa

or entrepreneurs rom outside the jurisdiction o the EEA who

have received significant capital rom investors to establish a

business in the republic o Ireland.



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Broken Promises

The ever growing list o broken promises by Fine Gael and Labour

is proo that in the General Election they engaged in auction politics

o a most cynical nature. People can see the arrogance involved in

how they have handled issues like Roscommon hospital or the burning

o bondholders. They see the sheer cynicism o a new Government

taking only days to abandon promises. Below are some o their most

shameul u-turns.

Economy & Public Sector ReormIncome Tax

The programme or Government was clear in ruling out incometax increases the new governmentwill maintain the currentrates o income tax together with bands and credits.

Enda Kenny said There will not be any income tax increases inthe budget.(June 16th, Govt. Press conerence), and it was a key

element o FGs Five Point Plan. However, it has emerged that there will be changes to

income tax bands and credits in Budget 2013. This was outlinedin documents provided by the Government to the EuropeanCommission and which were leaked to the GermanBundestag.

Universal Social Charge

The Programme or Government states: We will review theUniversal Social Charge.

No review is orthcoming; Noonan robustly deends the levy inthe Dil saying the universal social charge is progressive.

Standard rate o VAT

Fine Gaels pre budget submission in December last yearproposed increasing the standard rate o VAT to 22% in 2012and 23% in 2013.

During the election Labour took out a ull paid ad in the national

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newspapers expressing its opposition to the VAT increase.

In Government, they hiked VAT to 23% in the budget.Budget 2011

FG & Labour voted against Budget 2011. Now it seems theyre only too happy to take ownership o

the budget and boast about the adjustments that have beenachieved to date.

The EU-IMF Deal

The EU/IMF deal was a bad deal or Ireland according to EamonGilmore, and an obscenity according to Michael Noonan andthat it should be renegotiated.

Ater the election, Eamon Gilmore said: It was never going to bethe case that the renegotiation o the agreement was somethingthat was going to be done.

BanksBondholders

They promised to burn the bondholders: Is it Labours way orFrankurt way Eamon Gilmore; Fine Gael in Government willorce certain classes o bondholders to share in the cost orecapitalising troubled financial institutions FG Maniesto.

In Government, they reuse to impose losses on the 3.5 billiono unsecured, unguaranteed senior bondholders at Anglo IrishBank and Irish Nationwide.

Recapitalisation

Varadkar said that not another red cent would be put into thebanks.

The Central Bank announced in March 2011 that the banks wouldrequire 24bn. 19bn o this will be met by the taxpayer by July2011.

Force Banks to Cut their Interest Rates

The Programme or Government promised that banks in receipt



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o state support would be orced to orego a 25 basis point in-crease on their variable rate mortgage.

Despite cuts by the ECB to interest rates, banks are reusing tolower theirs.Strategic Investment Bank

The Programme or Government states We will establish a Stra-tegic Investment Bank.

Kenny, September 2011: A Strategic Investment Bank would bedicult to implement in current market conditions.

EducationThird Level Fees

Labour is opposed to third-level ees by either the ront or backdoors Gilmore.

Now Education Minister Ruairi Quinn reuses to rule out increasedstudent ees in the uture.

Student Services Charge

Ruairi Quinn & Labour signed a USI election pledge to reverse the500 increase in the Student Services Charge in Budget 2011.

He has reused to do so once in Government, and wont rule outincreases to it in the uture.

Social WelareSocial Welare Rates

The Programme or Government clearly states We will maintainsocial welare rates

Budget 2012 introduced reductions in Mortgage interest supple-ment or those struggling with their mortgages, One Parent am-ily reductions and Back to School Allowance cutbacks hit amiliesstruggling to make ends meet hard.

Child Benefit

During the election campaign Eamon Gilmore identified child



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benefit as a red line issue

Labours Every Little Hurts advertising campaign lambastedFine Gael or their proposed cuts in the child benefit rates

Eamon Gilmore made the retention o child benefit rates aprecondition or coalition.

The Program or Government stated that We will maintainsocial welare rates.

Budget 2012 cutthe rate Child Benefit or the third childand all subsequent children.

HealthFair Care & Universal Health Insurance

FG promised Fair Care and Labour promised Universal HealthInsurance

Fair Care has disappeared and in Government the 2 parties haveadmitted that the insurance proposals will not happen or atleast 10 years.

Prescription charges

James Reilly committed in March this year to abolish the50c prescription charge: Its certainly something weveundertaken to do.

He ailed to do so in Budget 2012Free GP care

The FG Maniesto promised ree GP care As part o ourpreparation or UHI, which will gradually deliver Free GP Careor all, we will look at a number o ways to widen access to reeGP care as finances permit, including increasing the number opeople who have a GP Visit Card

Failed to implement in Budget 2012Roscommon Hospital and A&E Departments

Fine Gael Maniesto: No A&E services will be withdrawn unless ademonstrably better service is put in place and is seen to work.Fine Gael made a clear commitment during and ater the general



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election to retain and enhance services at Roscommon Hospital.

24-hour emergency care in Roscommon Hospital has beenended, and the Government reuses to rule out urther closuresin small hospitals.

Reilly says it will be Winter 2012 beore overcrowding in A&Es issolved.

New regional hospital or the North East

During the election, the five Fine Gael candidates contesting theelection in Meath East and Meath West promised that the new

regional hospital or the North East will be built within five years. This was ruled out by James Reilly in Government.

Jobs & EnterpriseJobs Budget

FG promised a Jobs Budget within 100 days. The jobs budget then became a mere revenue neutral jobs

initiative, with no jobs target. They can only point to the net creation o 490 jobs as a result o

the Jobs Initiative, despite raiding peoples pensions to the tuneo 2bn over 4 years.

It was used merely as a revenue grabbing measure.Getting People Back to Work

FG Election Slogan: Lets Get Ireland Working Latest Live Register figures show unemployment rising the

jobs initiative ailed, the New Era jobs didnt materialise, andthe Medium Term Fiscal Statement acknowledges unemploymentwill rise in 2012.

New Era Jobs

Enda Kenny boasted beore the election that New Era will createover 105,000 jobs.

At its launch, there was no mention o jobs it would create, andno mention o cost.



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Upward Only Rent Reviews

The Programme or Govt states: We will legislate to end upwardonly rent reviews or existing leases.

Government waved the white flag on them in Budget 2012.State Assets

Programme or Government: We will target up to 2 billionin sales o non-strategic state assets.

3bn o assets, strategic or otherwise, will be sold.Environment & HeritageWater Charges & Utility Charges

Labour previously said they would be opposed to theintroduction o flat rate water charges A flat water chargeis not something that were going to introduce.

The Government has now admitted that two charges are on theway by 2013, a flat rate household utility charge (by 2012) and

water charges.

Household Charge

Were not in avour o a tax on the amily home Gilmore beore the election.

July 2011: Phil Hogan announced the introduction o a 100 flatrate household charge which is to be applied to the 1.6 millionhouseholds in the country.

Stag Hunting

FG Maniesto: Fine Gael will reverse the ban on stag hunting; FGJunior Minister Shane McEntee told the Seanad on 25th Oct thatlegislation reversing the ban was orthcoming.

8th Nov Kenny spokesperson: McEntee was expressing anopinion and there was no commitment to reverse the ban.

Tur Cutting

Fine Gael Maniesto: It is premature to cease the cutting o tur



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Severance Pay or Senior Civil Servants

There will be no more golden handshakes or public servantsthat have ailed to deliver. according to their maniestos.

Big payofs or senior civil servants continue.Reducing the number o TDs

FG had previously promised to reduce the number o TDs by 20 The Electoral Act proposes a cut o as little as 6 TDs.

Junior Ministers FG pledged they would cut the number o junior

Ministers to 12.

Once elected they appointed 15 Junior Ministers.Quangos

Fine Gael pledged to abolish 145 quangos. By end February 2012, they had created 3 times the number

o Quangos they abolished.

Ministers Advisors

Ministerial advisors will be subject to salary caps Most Ministers advisors have breached the cap.

Transparency in Appointments FG and Lab Maniestos: They promised vetting o appointments

to state boards by the Oireachtas.

Party political appointments have been made, without anyoversight or transparency.

Freedom o Inormation

Programme or Government promised to legislate to restorethe Freedom o Inormation Act. No commitment or when legislation will be published on this.



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FF Policy Guide Spring 2012

Documents

Transcript of FF Policy Guide Spring 2012