MANIFESTO '77.  The vision of this manifesto is an Ireland in which a successful strategy for national reconstruction offers real security for all. It has been carefully put together and costed for implementation in Government by a new team under Jack Lynch as Taoiseach. To confront the facts of unemployment, rising prices and Coalition mismanagement there is a crash campaign to boost industrial expansion and agricultural production through a massive export effort based on appropriate investment and efficient partnership. Getting the economy moving again and keeping it that way - will create new jobs and opportunities, develop existing employment and provide security and stability for those who have suffered most from inflation the housewife, the elderly and those on fixed incomes. To complete the Fianna Fail strategy there is a programme of specific policies on which the legislation and reform of the next Government will be based. The new strategy demands structural changes which mean a reversal of Coalition decisions and attitudes. An independent electoral commission will be set up to deal with constituency boundaries and put an end to all charges of gerrymandering Departmental and executive responsibilities will be re-organised to provide the most effective machinery for the operation of Government. Sample surveys of population, unemployment and other social indicators will be held to lay a more solid foundation for future economic and social planning. Fianna Fail believes that this manifesto gives young men and women their best chance to participate in the building of a better and stable future. It is a blueprint or leadership which, by the firm and just administration of law esteem for enterprise and concern for the individual will bring back that sense of confidence and interdependence which is essential to the growth of peace and social progress and of our cultural heritage and place among the nations of the world  STRATEGY FOR NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION.  PART 1. THE PRESCRIPTION FOR RECOVERY.  1. Economy.  2. Prices.  3. Industry and Commerce.  4. Agriculture.  5. Fisheries.  THE STRATEGY FOR NATIONAL RECOVERY. PART 2. THE POLICY PROGRAMME.  1. Social Security.  2. Health.  3. Local Government.  4. Labour.  5. Youth and Youth Employment.  6. Transport & Power.  7. Justice.  8. Posts & Telegraphs.  9. Education.  10. Gaeilge & Gaeltachtai.  11. Northern Ireland.  12. Defence.  13. Europe and the World.  THE ECONOMY.  The Real Crisis.  1. The real threat to the future of our country lies in the economy. Failure to find work for our people will revive the old evils of emigration and stagnation which Fianna Fail had overcome in the 1960's.  2. Four years of Coalition misrule have left the country in a sorry state.  3. Unemployment has soared to record levels. There are 160,000 @of work and no jobs for young people leaving schools and colleges.  4. We have suffered the worst inflation in the EEC Prices have gone up by almost 100% since the Coalition took office.  5. The country has been plunged into debt at a phenomenal rate. The interest on these extra debts is costing £8 weekly for every household in the country.  6. THE FIANNA FAIL PRESCRIPTION FOR RECOVERY.  Fianna Fail will campaign to raise employment and output and to lower costs and prices by: TAX CUTS TOTALLING £160 Millions in 1977/1978. The most important tax cuts will be:  1. Income tax allowances for married couples raised to double the single persons allowance.  2. Increase in personal allowance for income tax of £200 for single persons and £400 for married couples.  3. Abolishing rates on all dwellings from January 1978.  4. Reducing Social Welfare stamp by £1 weekly for all workers on wage rates of less than £50 weekly.  5. Abolishing annual road tax on all cars up to and including 16 h.p. from August 1977.  These tax cuts combined with pay rises of about 5% would cut inflation in half from 15% this year to 7% in 19781 and these reductions in costs and prices will put thousands back to work. Reducing-the taxation on married couples not alone helps to maintain the living standards of families. It is also a major step towards ending discrimination in the tax treatment of married women. Abolishing rates on dwellings puts an end to a tax  which operates inefficiently land places unfair burdens on thousands, but especially on the elderly. Reducing the cost of the social welfare stamp will not only benefit more than 400,000 lower paid workers, but by lowering the tax imposed on jobs it will make it more attractive for firms to employ more workers. Abolishing the road tax on smaller cars is a recognition of the excessive burden on motorists by the Coalition, with petrol and other costs well above those in Britain. Relief in this way will encourage economy in the use of petrol. Because it takes time for a programme of lowering costs and boosting output and exports to take effect, Fianna Fail also propose immediate action to PROVIDE 20,000 NEW JOBS WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS. This will be done by a special programme spending in key areas.  (i) £30 millions will go to building and construction giving 5,000 goes to this industry which has the highest unemployment, and @ extra housing, roads, schools and other needed facilities.  (ii) £20 millions will be spent on projects employing young people giving 5,000 jobs.  (iii) £50 millions will be spent on extra Gardai, teachers, and other services in which there are urgent needs.  To help boost Irish Production and employment Fianna Fail also propose A CAMPAIGN TO BUY IRISH WHICH WOULD SWITCH @ IN THE @ FROM IMPORTS TO HOME PRODUCTS. There are many areas where imports are essential, or where they are greatly cheaper than Irish goods. It makes sense to buy these imports. But there are other areas where, with a little effort to lower price or improve quality, Irish products could easily replace imports. This effort calls not simply for consumers to 'buy Irish'. It also requires manufacturers, shops and others to 'sell' Irish. And there is need for Government to 'think' Irish and 'act' Irish by getting rid of some tax practices or other administrative arrangements which put Irish goods at an unfair disadvantage against imports. A comprehensive and effective programme could switch 3p in the £ of spending to Irish products within three years, and this would yield 10,000 extra jobs. The action programme outlined above is designed to produce a major improvement in our economic fortunes. It will lower inflation, cut unemployment dramatically and then restore stability to the Government's own finances, through a crash programme for raising output, and boosting home and export sales of Irish made products. The impact of this programme can be summarised as the details of programmes such as these for generating  more output and for using this extra output prudently in the national interest may be complicated. But the basic message is simple. Clear and decisive action can be taken to overcome unemployment and inflation Fianna Fail will take that action restore economic stability and confidence, lead the country back to work land give @ young people the chance to make their contribution to building a better future.  PRICES.  1. The Prices Commission will be carefully and thoroughly examined and restructured and brought up to date as it is widely believed to be inadvertently protecting inefficient firms and in itself to be incapable of proper investigation of many applications made to it. Frequently these are for far more than the firm really needs and the increase granted is often for more than the firm ever expects.  2. Government policy must be directed towards discouraging increased costs and prices in all areas where it has control or influence. This policy has been @ in the last four years  3. Investigate middle-@ margins in areas where there is an inordinate difference in the price obtained by the producer for certain products and the price paid by the housewife for the same, e.g. fish, vegetables etc.  4. Full dissemination, at least once a week, to radio, television and newspapers of comparative prices of the most frequently purchased consumer goods in supermarkets etc, in different parts of the country.  5. Control by legislation, in the interest of the consumer, of monopolies in particular, and of take-overs and mergers where relevant.  6. We will abolish the @ even day rule arising out of the outer U.K. zone, in respect of fuel price increases, as there is no price control at all under the present system.  7. Investigate fully why Northern Ireland prices are less (apart from tax reasons) than prices in the Republic for the identical product from the same supplier and the same factory. Examples are motor cars, parts, tyres, detergents, processed foods, biscuits, clothing etc. Where no valid reason is found for such a significant difference in these prices, the Minister should be empowered to fix the prices at their Northern Ireland level.  8. Fianna Fail will regard price control as an important matter and will therefore revert to the position where a member of the Government is responsible for it and for dealing with the underlying causes of inflation.  9. The accounting @ of the E.S.B. will be examined and brought, p to date with a view to reducing the price of electricity.  INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE.  Hundreds of thousands of our people are going to be unemployed over the next five to ten years if there is not a major shake up in the provision of employment, particularly manufacturing employment. A revolution must take place in the management of industrial expansion if the essential employment targets are to be achieved. The main thrust of the new strategy will be to develop industries based on our natural resources, expand export activities and support the efforts of all those participating in industrial enterprise without interfering with natural developments in trading. A volume growth of the order of 15% in manufacturing output and 2O% @ manufacturing exports will be required each year. In particular the following steps will be taken:  1. State Agencies set up to help the various industrial activities will be given a new direction and sense of purpose by a Sean Lemass type Industrial Development Consortium, chaired by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. New legislation will not be required. What will change wi1l be the pattern of working leading to the policies, targets and key strategies of the development drive.  2. Payments to the State (taxation, social welfare, etc) will be reviewed periodically to help maintain competitiveness under severe trading condition.  3. A vigorous new export marketing drive will be encouraged. A new Export Credit Finance Corporation will be considered and legal obstacles to bank support for bonds to cover overseas industrial activity will be removed.  4. To have a competitive advantage over foreigners, industry will be induced to have a structure which will more readily assimilate science and technology. This will be based mainly on Ireland's resources, natural, human and material, and the educational institutions will be encouraged to prepare students for such a structure. Labour intensive industry using higher technical skills will get priority. A more intensive and creative analysis of the opportunities in each sector of industry will be promoted in conjunction with the present I.D.A studies and investment in these opportunities will be encouraged by all available means Venture capital and practical help will be more readily, provided for new projects suggested by research.  5. I.D.A. will be given every support in their efforts to attract new industries. New formulas for joint ventures will be tried out to secure more ownership by Irish interests The regional industrial development efforts @ originally by Fianna Fail will be reviewed and intensified. Where necessary, key staff for new small industries will be provided for a limited period on contract or by secondment from appropriate State Bodies At present, only 10% of the new jobs created are in small industry. An annual rate of 150 project approvals for small industries is not enough. It will be doubled by encouragement and promotion.  INDUSTRIES BASED ON CERTAIN NATURAL RESOURCES.  An imaginative incentive programme under Fianna Fail led to a dramatic upsurge in mining exploration activity during the 1960's. No new economic @body has been discovered since 1970. The previous high level of exploration must be restored, otherwise there will be only one lead and zinc mine in Ireland in a few years. This can be done by resolving the problems of mineral ownership as indicated at the 1977 Fianna Fail Ard-Fheis and by preventing claim-jumping in the future by guaranteeing the validity of exploration licences. The value of our rural resources to us as a nation must be judged primarily on the amount of spin-off employment they generate in downstream industries. This applies equally to agriculture, oil, gas, fish, zinc and lead. There is no us our exporting these products to create employment and wealth in other countries. Our most assured long-term development will come from processing those to the fullest degree. To export unprocessed zinc concentrates is like exporting fresh, unprocessed milk. The State should retain control of the conversion process of minerals, oil, gas etc to assure that they are used here to maximum benefit. A State owned-smelter could be established here for £4Om. - £@m. of this could further the equity capital This is equivalent to the sum paid by the Government in the Bula affair. The balance could be easily financed from contracts with Irish mines. The zinc production could thereby be made available for manufacturing purposes here at a price that would make it competitive. It is in the industrial use of these refined metals that their real value to Ireland lies. There are tens of thousands of secure jobs only waiting to be created @@@ than in the exclusive encouragement of ephemeral foreign finishing industries,, using foreign raw materials, that Fianna Fail's industrial efforts will lie in the future.  AGRICULTURE.  Economic Recovery.  (a) Fianna Fail believes that Agriculture can and should provide the main thrust for the recovery of the National Economy.  (b) A major objective of national economic policy should be to make Ireland the World's premier producer of quality food.  (c) The volume of farm output must be raised and everything we produce must be processed and packaged through to the consumption stage. Every by-product must be fully exploited.  (d) We believe that our food processing industry must be developed in line with farm development and that co-operatives need to be put on a firmer financial footing.  Livestock. Fianna Fail will introduce a National Livestock Development programme to prevent short-term cyclical reductions in the breeding herds, improve genetic stock and health status and encourage the retention of cattle under @ to rebuild the @ herd. The disease eradication programme will be accelerated` and in casts of hardship full compensation will be provided.  Tillage. The present decline in tillage must be reversed in order to reduce @ and stabilise prices to livestock feeders and consumers Higher grants will be given to provide on-farm storage and handling facilities A Grain Marketing and Information Board will be established to develop a national flour industry using a high content of home-grown wheat. The incentive should be given by the Flour Industry to grow better quality wheats by @ an efficient contracting service. There must be tight control on the production and marketing of sugar substitutes. Fianna Fail will ensure that the national acreage and processing capacity are sufficient to justify an increase in our EEC A-quota. A Potato Marketing and Development Board with strong producer and consumer representation will be established. It will insist on @ standards and improve marketing techniques. The expansion of the Horticulture Industry with its high employment potential will be encouraged by the removal of the Coalition's tax on fuel oils for commercial glasshouse and mushroom production.  Farm Loans. Fianna Fail will provide a 3% subsidy on interest rates for farmers who come within an expanded development category in an Agricultural Loan Scheme for long-term financing of farm development.  Agricultural Training. Fianna Fail will establish an Agricultural Training Authority equivalent to @ to finance, plan and co-ordinate specialised training for agriculture on an industry basis. Short duration intensive courses will be introduced for Agricultural Advisors, farmers, farm workers and apprentices to maintain the high standards required by industry.  Rates and Tax. Fianna Fail will retain the notional system of Farm Taxation and allow rates on agricultural land as an instalment of a farmer's tax bill. Taxes due under  the @ system will be payable at the end of each year Farmers will be free to opt for assessment by farm accounts.  Land Policy. Fianna Fail will establish a Land Development Authority responsible for structural reform and the implementation of the EEC Farm Retirement and Farm Modernisation Scheme. Fiscal disincentives will be introduced to ensure that purchasers of land farm the land to its known potential.  Farm Modernisation Scheme and the C.A.P. Fianna Fail will demand the abolition of the present discriminatory transitional category and have only a commercial and an expanded development category. Uniform rates of grant on capital investment at 40% for land improvement land 20% for farm buildings and fixed equipment will be given 10% grant on capital investment made by @@ farmers will be given where targets under the farm plan are achieved. Under Fianna Fail the Land Development Authority will introduce a system of long term leasing to assist young, farmers in acquiring gland, and to facilitate retiring farmers who do not wish to sell outright. Farmers in the scheme will be eligible for Social Welfare and Health Benefits Fianna Fail will set-up a Farm Inheritance Counselling Service to inform farmers of the benefits of early inheritance insurance for early retirement. A simplified farm planning form will be introduced. Development farmers in need of additional land to meet income targets will receive priority. The Disadvantaged Area Scheme will be reviewed. Fianna Fail will seek an upper limit to the EEC's Monetary Compensatory Amounts and their phased removal and community policy for sheep and potatoes.  Co-operative Movement. Fianna Fail will assist the Co-operative Movement and producer groups in improving their capital structure extending services to members and increasing producer control over the domestic and export marketing of processed and frkri agricultural produce. Fianna Fail will repeal to the taxation of Co-ops introduced by the Coalition.  Marketing. Fianna Fail will establish a new body which will supplement and co-ordinate the activities of the existing agricMural export agencies and act in liaison with Coras Tractala. A domestic marketing Council representative of producer and consumer interest will set standards for farm products with a special team of domestic economy instructors to ensure that quality standards are maintained.  SUMMARY OF FIANNA FAIL'S POLICY ON INCOME TAX FOR FARMERS.  1. Farmers can opt for assessment by submitted accounts with the option of averaging his profits over a 3 year period, @@ the cyclical nature of farming or by the Notional System.  2. Fianna Fail will allow rates on land as an instalment of a farmers tax will resulting in a tax saving for farmers of £lOm.  3. Contractor Fees - farmer's tax saving £1.5m1 This should encourage increased tillage production thereby reducing the £50m. grain import bill.  4. Tax payments will fall due at the end of each financial year.  5. The Fianna Fail Notional System of taxation will encourage re-investment in farming with the following deductions being allowed:Wages paid to farm workers – resulting in a tax saving for farmers of £2.5m. This allowance will provide an incentive to farmers to increase their labour force.  FISHERIES.  The Irish fishing industry has traditionally been a coastal activity and accordingly Fianna Fail firmly believe that to protect the livelihood of our fishermen, a 50 mile off-sore limitation on foreign trawlers and factory ships is of urgent necessity.  1. Develop a co-ordinated programme for the modernisation and development of the fishing fleet.  2. Plan and promote the expansion of the fish processing industry in the fishing ports around the costs.  3. Establish a central marketing agency so as the maximum benefit to the nation will be gained from the industry.  4. Plan and supervise harbour modernisation and expansion to meet the needs of today's fleet and the speedy processing of the catch.  5. Ensure effective policing and coattalprotection.  6. Carry out research required for the monitoring and preservation of the fishing stock.  7. Rationalise the @ Fisheries Board.  Fianna Fail's record in improving the rates of benefit and introducing new services, including benefits in kind, is a pioneering one. Special attention will be paid to those social welfare recipients who have little income other than their weekly social welfare benefit.  SOCIAL SECURITY.  People in need have a right to income maintenance. Fianna Fail intends to:  1. Maintain the living standards of Social Welfare recipients by regular adjustments of the level of payments at least in line with the cost of living.  2. Institute a Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme which will replace the outdated home assistance system operating at present.  3. Ensure that the pension rights of those who accept voluntary phased retirement, in order to release jobs, are not adversely affected.  4. Provide for the transferability of full pension rights on the change from one occupation to another, or to a similar occupation, with a new employer.  5. Work towards the elimination of discrimination against single, married and widowed women.  6. Initiate an enquity into the operation of the Means Test with a view to eliminating all anomalies within the code  7. To simplify all social security forms.  8. To subsidise telephone charges for Old Age Pensioners living alone.  Fianna Fail is committed to the principle of equal pay for equal work, especially in the Public Service.  HEALTH.  Our health policy will aim at providing a first class general service which will secure the highest possible standard of physical and mental health for all the people, and ensure that no person will be denied medical care because of their inability to provide for it out of their own resources. To achieve these objectives we propose:  1. To maintain permanently in being an all-party committee of the Dail with consultative status on health policy and administration.  2. To fix for a number of years ahead a proportion of G.N.P. to be allocated for health and to ensure by better management the careful selection of priorities, and @ budgeting, that this amount will be expended to the best possible advantage of the general public.  3. In the allocation of funds to give a high priority to preventive medical and health education with particular attention to alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction and venereal disease including the effective control of advertising in those areas which are injurious to health.  4. The provision of as many health services as possible in the local community.  5. To make a comprehensive community care programme providing a full range of appropriate services an essential part of the health service in every area.  6. To preserve the role of the county hospital in providing the necessary level of services for the local community.  7. To provide regional and national centres for highly specialized units.  8. To re-organise the general medical service negotiate a new contract of service for doctors in the service to arrange a phased extension of the service as resources permit to the point where medical attention will be available without hardship to all who need it.  9. To ensure the widest possible acceptance of a positive policy for family planning and enact the necessary legislation.  10. To encourage the development of voluntary health insurance schemes by substantial taxation allowances.  11. To divert sufficient resources to the dental and optalmic services to make them readily available to those entitled to them at an early date.  12. To undertake a complete re-organisation of the mental health service.  13. To undertake a comprehensive national programme for the mentally handicapped.  LOCAL GOVERNMENT.  A forward looking and socially committed Department will be the centre of our Local Government policy. An immediate injection of an extra £30m for the building and construction industry will create 5,000 new jobs in the first year of Government. Because Fianna Fail believes that as many families as possible should own their own homes, it will be made easier to buy a house and cheaper to keep it. This is how we will do it:  1. Rates will be abolished from January 1978 on all private houses.  2. Local Authority houses - this will remove, the rate element in the rent.  3. there will be no rates content in the rent paid by tenants of privately rented accommodation.  4. the residential portion of business premises.  5. @ secondary schools.  6. @@community halls  7. farm outbuildings.  Fianna Fail, @ assuming office, after the General Election will pay 25% of the rates in 1977 and will then abolish @ as outlined above. Fianna Fail will increase Local Authority House Purchase Income Limits and maximum loan limits to realistic levels, so that families who are unable to get house loans from Banks and Building Societies because of low incomes will be able to get loans from Local Authorities. Fianna Fail will review the whole system of housing finance. Fianna Fail will give a grant of £1,000 to first time purchasers of new houses. For local authority tenants, Fianna Fail will abolish the socially unacceptable discriminatory "Clawback" system for tenant purchaser and reduce the repayment period for those who bought under the pre-@. 1973 House Purchase Scheme and @ who have not re-sold @. Fianna Fail will introduce a new scheme for house improvement grants. Fianna Fail recognises the importance of encouraging people to remain in rural Ireland and will provide adequate funds for effective Local Improvement and Amenity Scheme. Fianna Fail will ensure that open spaces, recreational and shopping facilities, community centres and other services will be provided in the planning of new housing developments  GROUND RENTS.  Fianna Fail will provide a scheme which will lead to the abolition of existing residential ground rents.  ROADS.  Fianna Fail will prepare a major Road Development Plan designed to anticipate the demands of the 80's. Fianna Fail will reorganise Local Authority structure so that everyone can better participate in decisions affecting their own community/and play their part in the development of local initiatives.  LABOUR.  The Fianna Fail policy considers the dignity of the individual as of paramount importance and it is our special concern that the @ in unemployment be reversed not only because the creation of jobs makes good economic sense, but also for the proper development of the individual worker and the community. To this end we propose:  To show special concern that good relations exist between workers and employers and for the attainment and maintenance of industrial harmony and welfare of workers at their place of employment. The placement in suitable employment of those workers either mentally or physically disadvantaged. The promotion of a meaningful worker participation in the management decisions effecting their working lives. A review of expenditure on unemployment with a view to altering the emphasis towards the creation of employment programmes/and encouraging those unemployed to fit themselves for new jobs. The creation of an efficiently managed employment market. A co-ordinated manpower and training policy geared towards our industrial development policy. The updating of laws related to the safety, health, @. The development of a policy to encourage the self-employed person and the small family business in their endeavours. The growth projected by Fianna Fail for the economy will make resources available to maintain the real value of incomes and to, provide a modest amount requirements. Income earners must be prepared to co-operate in order to assure the level of job creation already outlined in Section 2.1 In any event, the level of income increases must not exceed the average level of industrial income increases given by the industrial countries with which this country must compete for market capture and maintenance. @ for increases. This @ will depend on investment.  YOUTH AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.  A national youth policy must be aimed at the total development of all our youth the policy must recognise the different needs of young people today from social survival to the fuller development of their talents In pursuit of these objectives we propose:  1. The operation of youth services through the schools, youth clubs and organisations.  2. To encourage the involvement of more parents in youth activities.  3. Fianna Fail will establish a National Sports Council, responsible for sporting facilities, community games and finance.  4. The establishment of a special section in the Department of Education to promote and guide youth development in conjunction with the national organisations and to set up structures for the training of full time and voluntary youth leaders  5. To establish a Children's Service Authority with responsibility for derived children or those at @ the provision of the necessary medical and education service  1. The use of school buses for extra-mural and after school activities.  2. To encourage local authorities to set up funds to provide worthwhile employment during the summer months which would be of benefit to the community.  Any solution to the unemployment facing young people today must be approached in the context of our overall emergency policy for the creation of employment. But in addition to the overall employment measures proposed by Fianna Fail @ aid programmes to help young people must be under taken. We would propose:  - Introduce an effective and realistic premium employment scheme which will give school leavers equal opportunity of employment with other categories of workers.  - Community task forces to work on local projects.  - The extension of the ANC apprenticeship scheme.  - The encouragement of early retirement by suitable incentives.  - A transitional school year concentrating on industrial and commercial disciplines EEC funds could be available to assist curricula with work experience.  - Staff exchange schemes with industries in other EEC countries.  - The co-ordination of career guidance and placement on a regional basis and the joint direction of the region's schools an the National Manpower Service.  - The encouragement of rotation of duties in-company training and Fianna Fail has allocated £20m in its overall economic policy to provide employment structures and employment for at least 5,000 young people.  As an indication of the urgency of this programme Fianna Fail will establish a special Employment Action Team representative of Government Departments, Local Authorities, Trade Unions, and Community and Youth Organisations for the purpose of initiating immediately suitable employment schemes for school leavers and other young people.  TRANSPORT AND POWER.  The role of Transport and Power in the Ireland of the future will be different from that of the past. Fianna Fail - recognising the needs of the future will ensure that the leadership, knowledge and determination to achieve the necessary changes in structure will ensure that the Department of Transport and Power will evolve from being an administrative umbrella to that of catalyst for the development of the functions of the state-owned companies traditionally under the control of the Department. Fianna Fail will ensure the expansion of the contribution to the national economy of all these companies. It will cease to be negative as it has become in recent years.  Policy on Energy and Allied Fields. Responding to the economic effects of the increased cost of energy and oil products on production, employment and domestic costs Fianna Fail will encourage new fuel supply procedures to ensure security of supply the full benefit from domestic resources, cost control, reciprocal benefit for Irish exports and reduction in control of multinational oil companies over supply and cost. Fianna Fail will set up an Energy Authority which will explore the establish of additional refining capacity under national control with acceptable partners. Fianna Fail will create structural changes to ensure reduction in cost of industrial and domestic supplies of energy and will plan for the establishment of a Gas Grid. Fianna Fail will ensure the necessary developments of downstream opportunities with all the economic benefits for the national development to be derived from Hydro Carbon and Mineral discoveries.  TRANSPORT POLICY.  Fianna Fail will establish a Transport Authority to investigate and reproduce on the measures necessary to achieve the most efficient and economic transport system for goods and passengers having regard to the need to maintain a flexible competitive transport system, thereby ensuring the facilities necessary for industrial development through the country as a whole. Irish Shipping will be encouraged to develop new vessel construction - providing opportunities for recruitment of personnel in addition to expansion of foreign currency earnings. State companies will be encouraged to engage in long term chartering of Irish owned shipping, thereby providing security for the amortization of vessel costs. Financial incentives will be developed to assist with  the substantial growth of an Irish owned shipping fleet.  PORT and HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT POLICY.  Fianna Fail will respond to the modern techniques in freight and vessel handling and will ensure the investment necessary to facilitate the maximum utilization of onshore service facilities for all offshore exploration and development.  JUSTICE.  Fianna Fail believe that the concepts of justice and fairness of the dignity of the individual and of equality before the law which permeate and are enshrined in Bunneacht' na hEireanniare @ very relevant to the political and legal needs of the community.  It is on these foundations that Fianna Fail in Government will build to ensure that the citizen is free from attack of the homes and property of our people free from marauders, the streets free @ walk in that the Gardai are given support by financial, technical and manpower improvements so that crime becomes unprofitable and where not prevented is speedily detected that the conflict between the rights of persons in custody and the necessity of the Gardai to investigate crimes is resolved and that the administration of the Courts be @ and improved on the basis that justice delayed is justice denied in the area of family law, the law relating to children and the punishment and rehabilitation of offenders new concepts are required.  In particular:  - The existing legal aid system in criminal cases will be improved and extended.  - Legal aid will be extended to civil cases where this is necessary as a first step it will be introduced in the area of family law.  - New, informal and less institutionalised procedures and tribunals will be established in relation to family law aid child offenders which will have expert remedial and social back-up services at their disposals as well as informal Consumer Tribunals.  - The acceptance of majority verdicts in criminal cases where agreement is reached by at least ten jurors.  - The 1908 Children's Act will be amended to bring it into line with modern social thinking the age of criminal responsibility will be reviewed and the criminal capacity of the child would be assessed at informal hearing; suitable remedial places of detention will be provide for youthful offenders where their detention is found to be necessary.  - Satisfactory negotiation procedures for the Garda Siochana will be set up to investigate such areas as work conditions, disciplinary complaints, transfers and promotions.  - Whatever technical equipment, foot patrols or overtime is required to combat the serious increase in urban crime will be provided, as a matter of urgency.  POSTS & TELEGRAPHS  An efficient and dependable communications system is an essential part of Fianna Fail's strategy for national re-construction. It is vital to industrial and agricultural expansion and the efficiency of the service sector it al to plays an extremely important part in the social development of community life. Fianna Fail recognises this necessity and proposes:  - To undertake a detailed examination of Staff Rules and Regulations in an effort to promote better labour relations which are of vital importance where such a large workforce is involved.  - To give urgent attention to the telephone and tele-services to @ expansion in these and reduce overloading and roach a situation where the demand on these services can be met.  - To extend the automatic dialling facility to remaining parts of the country.  - To extend the international dialling facility to other areas in Dublin and throughout the country.  - To examine the desirability of giving autonomy to telecommunications.  - To modernise the postal system so as to promote a rapid efficient delivery service nation-wide.  - To give immediate consideration to the further expansion of the service of the Post Office by the introduction of a Giro system.  Fianna Fail supports the people of single channel areas in their claim to entitlement to a choice of television viewing and undertake to establish a Programme Council strongly representative of these areas to advise the Authority on the selection of the best programmes available from BBCI, BBC 2, ITV and other sources, transmission on the second channel. Fianna Fail proposes the expansion of radio broadcasting international, national and local, the greater use of regional studios and increased programmes of an 2-3  educational and cultural nature  EDUCATION.  As thousands of this year's school-leavers face unemployment, the twin objectives of Fianna Fail education policy - a training for life and a guarantee of equal opportunity are clearly not being achieved. As the Party of investment in education and free education. Fianna Fail on return to Government will prepare a new analysis of priorities and introduce immediately a number of specific measures and guidelines. Recognising the parents as the primary and natural educator and their right to provide education in schools of their choice in accordance with their conscience land lawful, reference as provided in Article 42 of the Constitution Fianna Fail will:  - Set out in a White Paper the lines for future education development in Ireland.  - Encourage and promote the Irish language throughout the education system.  - Embark on a school building programme to cope with existing suburban pressures and to replace obsolete schools.  - Treat the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools as a top priority, particularly in disadvantaged areas and will immediately set about reducing all classes to 40 with a final objective of @.  - A pupil transfers committee will be established. It will have as members practising teachers of final primary school year, practising teachers of first post-primary year, and a small number of other educationists. It will report on the problems of transition from child-centred primary to subject centred post-primary schools. It will draw up a curriculum for final year primary and first year post-primary schools.  - Fianna Fail will immediately increase the capitation grant for primary school pupils.  - @@ guarantee adequate finance to voluntary schools and the post primary sector generally. Co-operation at this level between schools will be positively and energetically promoted.  - Fianna Fail will immediately raise the third-level grants and mindful of the fact that eligibility limits have not been raised during a period of over 100% inflation, will raise the limits realistically.  - immediately establish the N.C.E.A. by @ land introduce legislation for the new universities. @ promote a new career foundation course which will, on completion, attract a Career Foundation Certificate.  NORTHERN IRELAND.  A central aim of Fianna Fail policy is to secure by peaceful means, the unity and independence of Ireland as a democratic republic. We totally reject-the use of force as a means of achieving this aim. Any progress on the lines suggested in Fianna Fail's Policy Statement on the North, published in 1975 would add greatly-to the impact of our economic strategy by promoting confidence both North and South and facilitating a return to a normal economic and tourist environment.  DEFENCE.  Future policy of the Defence Forces must co-ordinate the development of all it's branches, the regular army, F.C.A., Air Corps, Naval Service and Civil Defence Fianna Fail aims to make these services more worthwhile and attractive as careers. To achieve this we propose:  - A new code for the administration of military law.  - Establishment o a women's service corps.  - Introduction of a new and fairer system for promotions than that introduced by this Government.  - A reduction in the age limits to a more realistic level.  - Access to army hostels for retired servicemen requiring treatment.  - A training scheme to prepare those due for discharge for outside employment, and further assistance by educational grants if required after discharge.  EUROPE AND THE WORLD.  The fight against poverty the vigilance necessary to protect and develop democratic institutions and the will to win wider recognition for the importance of individual freedom and liberty knows no boundaries. Fianna Fail, though Ireland's membership of the European Community and participation in the United Nations Organisation and other international bodies will support progress towards further European integration and agreement on a new international economic order. A Fianna Fail Government will take the following course of action:  - Promote an acceptance in the EEC of the importance for Ireland of specific a @ of vital interest like fishing, monetary compensatory amounts (MCA’s) and the organisation of a "common market" in sheepmeat.  - insist that in the reform of the European Regional Development Fund Regulation the worst-off regions of the West of Ireland should get a higher level of aid from the Fund. This would stimulate investment in those areas which need it most.  - Press for the removal of regional, social and economic differences in the less favoured regions of the European Community. This may have to include temporary measures to protect vulnerable industries and therefore to protect jobs.  - Press that the review of the European Social Fund must focus more on relieving unemployment, particularly among young people, @ on training people for jobs that do not exist.  - Carry out an mediate review of the effectiveness of Ireland's input to European Community policy and decision-making land of role in the UN and other international organisations particularly where there seems root for a bridge-building contribution in such areas as North-South Dialogue.