INTRODUCTION  The election of February 1987, is critical for the working class. It will decide whether the government of this country will once again be run by the representatives of the tax dodgers, those who take all and give nothing; or whether they will finally be challenged by serious representatives of the PAYE workers, those who pay all and get nothing.  It will also decide whether the profits of a few will continue 10 be protected, at the cost of savage cuts in public spending, or whether work and progress on social issues will finally become the major issues.  The Workers' Party is now seeking a mandate from the people (o fight back in earnest, We are asking for the increase in support we need to send a larger and stronger team into the Dáil. We will fight back against unfair taxation, low pay, the drain of our people to other lands in search of work, the cuts in health and social services. This is a fight by workers and unemployed together, a fight by those who demand the right to work and live in peace and security in their own country. '  Let us be quite clear about it: we firmly reject the establishment view that unemployment, exploitation, emigration and the misery of poverty are inescapable. We do not accept that we must be helpless victims of 'blind economic forces'.  We have shown in the past few years what just a few determined public representatives can do in the Dáil, On Corporations, County Councils, Health Boards or Vocational Education Committees. In the Dáil that is now out of office, our two TDs have made full use of Dáil debates to confront the defenders of the status quo with genuine plans for changed They have used Question Time to expose abuses of power, cases of neglect, public injustice, rather than indulge in the narrow local point-scoring of most Dáil representatives. They have made life awkward for the major parties lime and again by using (heir votes to challenge the legislation that puts further burdens on workers and workers' families.  With your support we will do far, far more.  PROGRAMME FOR CHANGE  With more TDs in the Dáil, The Workers' Party will change the political agenda of this nation, We will make economic recovery, social Justice and job creation the priorities, and where necessary we will bring the full democratic power of the people to bear on the establishment.  We are putting before the people a progressive programme for political change. We are a modem socialist party; we want a fundamental shift in the whole direction of the country. It is now urgent to begin building a new economic order, one that is socially responsible and will offer all citizens the chance to work productively, not as emigrants elsewhere, but as citizens here.  That day will never come if we allow our affairs to be permanently controlled by those who have a vested interest in the continued emigration of young people, the continued low level of pay for workers, the continued under-development of resources — in short, in continued inequality.  The Workers' Party believes that most social and economic problems are political problems, and they can only be met with political action. No economy can hope to prosper with hundreds of thousands forced to depend on social welfare, while State resources are left lying, untouched by development.  We are prepared. In this manifesto we offer in brief outline the analyses of our party on the economic and social crisis in Ireland, and the basic principles on which a radical reconstruction of Irish society can ' be built, with the support of the Irish people.  * We propose the creation of a new and powerful Agricultural Development Authority to undertake the vital task of modernising our whole agricultural production system. It must also develop the most effective use of our land resources, increase investment, and establish a complete series of industrial linkages between the produce of the land and the consumer products in the supermarket. That body will also have responsibility for developing aqua-culture, fish farming and fish processing. It will also assist in promoting increased timber production, processing and manufacture.  * We want an Immediate transfer of 10% of PAYE tax from workers to the farmers, self-employed and owners of capital. We see such an initial shift as the beginning of a complete restructuring of (he tax System to end the disgraceful System where PAYE workers now pay over 90% of all income tax.  * We propose a new 'social guarantee' for all our young people which will provide a guarantee of either full time education, job related training or worthwhile employment initially up to the age of 18 years. That will be achieved by a series of measures to restructure the education and training institutions, expand  recruitment in slate, semi-state and private enterprises where labour can improve performance and create new task forces to bring/unused resources into productive use.  * We will introduce a series of initiatives to eliminate all forms of sexual discrimination in employment, in social welfare, in the law, in sport and in society generally. This will form part of a wider programme 10 eliminate «II forms of social discrimination against the poor, the unemployed, the homeless, the handicapped as well as part time workers and home workers.  * We believe that part of our economic recovery must include an environmental programme or urban renewal. Such a programme makes both economic and social sense and offers tremendous prospects for employment generation in construction, tourism, services, arts and entertainment. It provides opportunities for democratic community participation in planning and could bring substantial long-term savings in policing, maintenance, transport and public services. This will be accompanied by control of the price of building land and a tax on derelict sites.  * We will work persistently both North and South to achieve peace and reconciliation between the people of this island. We recognise the legitimate rights of Protestants, Catholics and Dissenters and reject the view that the Northern Protestant population can be bullied, bombed or threatened into a united Ireland. We will develop dialogue, co-operation and common activity between workers as the means of uniting our people in a campaign for peace, work and class politics.  * We will build a series of community leisure and sports facilities in all working class communities to provide a resource centre for entertainment, leisure, sport, art and culture. The creative artist will be accorded the same rights as other workers and steps will be taken to develop all creative talent up to its maximum potential. Steps will also be taken to end the growing exploitation of the poor and unemployed in newly emerging amusement and entertainment sectors.  * We will continue to press the government to make our neutrality more positive in character by campaigning energetically for world peace and nuclear disarmament, by remaing out of military alliances, by giving support to developing countries and to those seeking to create democratic governments in place of racist and dictatorial regimes.  THE ECONOMY  Other parties looking for your support in this election can only offer policies of despair and defeat. The Workers' Party owes nothing to the wealthy or the status quo and because of this can offer practical policies for full employment,  Unemployment is at the root of almost all of our social ills. It is our worst social injustice.  The Republic has the resources needed to give a decent living to all. The cause of poverty and mass unemployment is gross government incompetence, especially in the last ten years, and determined efforts by government in the last 10 years to confine profit-making economic activity to private industry, '  The policies followed by governments in the last ten years mean that we have:  * The highest rate of unemployment in the industrialised world;  * The greater part of our farm exports sold into intervention;  * Half the workforce in that building industry is denied the right to work;  * One third of our population lives in poverty;  * One in eight of our manufacturing jobs have been lost in the last six years;  * Mass emigration is back;  * We pay one of the highest rates of indirect tax in the world.  It is obvious that the present private enterprise Irish economy can only remain solvent with the aid of massive government subsidy. This is a crucial factor in our heavy burden of foreign debt THE NATIONAL DEBT  The scale of the national debt must be seen by all as a major economic problem. All parties except The Workers' Party say that the way to deal with the crisis is to cut government spending. They talk about tightening belts. Whose belts?  The word "cuts" in the mouth of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats or Labour means cuts in social welfare payments and cuts in spending on health and education. It is a policy of making the needy — the victims of the crisis — carry the burden of the crisis. A policy of cuts in government spending on social services will only aggravate the situation by increasing the scale of poverty. More will be thrown on the dole queue and emigration will worsen.  A brief examination of the plans of the establishment parties shows a repayments bill of £1,000 million a year until the end of this century. It is impossible to find that amount of money every year by a policy of cuts. They, of course, hope to reduce social welfare payments by a policy of encouraging emigration. Some 31,000 emigrated in 1985. The figures for 1986 will be double this.  THE WORKERS' PARTY PLAN  The Workers' Party puts forward a policy of expansion rather than cuts. We must grow or go down. The debt crisis must be met by massive growth in our Gross Domestic Product (the value of all we produce).  The way to end the crisis and to work towards full employment is:  (a) Change the "spending policies" (grants to the private sector in the hope that this will produce jobs) which was followed by all Irish governments for twenty years. We must have "investment policies" (investment and grants given only on the basis of a firm plan to increase employment and output);  (b) A plan to develop the economy on the basis of planned output applies especially to production for export;  (c) We must commit resources to marketing our products. This is a crucial area in need of investment.  We must have highly trained staff and develop popular brand names.  OUR INVESTMENT POLICY  In 1985 the overseas firms in Ireland called home the better part of £ l,000 million profits made in Ireland.  A large part of these profits ware made as a result of the Irish State guarantee that profits made from manufactured exports would remain taxed at 10% until the and of the century. The government should negotiate for the investment of the bulk of these profits in Ireland.  Public enterprise in manufacturing, marketing and profit-making enterprise should be greatly expanded. All restrictions on State companies should be removed.  JOB CREATION  The Workers’ Party calls for the creation of an additional 40,000 jobs a year, spread over the next 10 years. We have explained in a number of publications how this can be done. We published an extensive plan An End to the Crisis — when unemployment levels started to rise sharply.  We published a Farm and Food Industry Study when the EEC started to seriously re-examine its intervention payments policy.  JOBS FROM OUR NATURAL RESOURCES  Industry based on our natural resources is the only way to create dependable employment. In our farming and food industry study we gave detailed plans for the creation of 150,000 jobs.  It is important to note that the Workers' Party regard productive jobs — jobs which produce a saleable, exportable product — as the foundation on which the whole economy must rest. This policy means:  * The production of (food products in consumer-ready form and delivery guaranteed over the full twelve months of the year;  * The production of high-quality clothing manufactured from natural fibres like linen and wool, mostly for the export market;  A Supplying our need for paper by producing ourselves from our own resources rather than by costly imports;  * The development of a timber industry to produce timber and processed timber for the construction industry, and wood pulp for paper manufacture;  * Full development of the shoe industry which should be linked to the manufacture of leather from raw-hides now exported:  * The industrial development of our mineral wealth by smelting our lead and zinc;  * The development of fishing, fish processing and fish farming, on an extensive scale;  * The cultivation and processing of industrial crops like bamboo, flax, New Zealand flax and dwarf sumac;  * The development of an indigenous electronics sector with an emphasis on research and development and a capacity for regeneration.  OUH 1NVESTM6NT POLICY ~ OVERSEAS SECTION  The overseas sector of the Irish manufacturing economy employs 80,000 industrial workers. This sector of the economy is located in new and growing industries like electronics and chemicals. We note that this sector of the economy imports massive quantities of semi-processed raw materials — £5,000 million in 1985. It is in this area of great potential development that we believe that negotiations should take place for the re-investment in Ireland of profits made in Ireland by these firms. We regard this as a fair return for the substantial tax concessions made 10 firms operating in the area of exporting manufactured products.  ENERGY  The Workers' Party has continually agitated against the high cost of energy to manufacturing industry. It is next to impossible to develop competitive manufacturing industry based on the present 20% energy cost handicap. We recognise that the handicap is to some extent compensated for by a lower rate of pay to the Irish manufacturing workforce. This method of cancelling a cost handicap is a grave Injustice.  A part of the high cost of energy in Ireland is caused by a penal levy of indirect taxation on this essential. ESB bills, for example, all carry a substantial tax levy. It is an economically unwise aspect of government taxation policy.  THE PUBLIC SECTOR  Privatisation: The Workers' Party is totally opposed to privatisation of our State companies. Demands to hand over our valuable public assets to private capitalists must be resisted and the motives of those who make such demands must be exposed.|Th8 Workers' Party welcomes the opportunity presented by this election to debate the role of State industry in the Irish economy.  Those who suggest that selling off our publicly owned companies will help to solve the financial crisis are misleading the people. The only people to benefit from privatisation would be the small clique of well-heeled financial speculators who would make a killing on the stock market. It's almost ten years since the Workers' Party identified the potential of State companies, exposed the resentment against State industry among private enterprise politicians and predicted that attempts would be made to privatise these national assets.  Despite massive hand-outs of taxpayers' money, (a thousand million in 1986), the private sector has failed to deliver the jobs. Now the same private sector wants to get its hands on the profitable operations within the public sector. To auction off our public sector companies in order to satisfy the avaricious appetite of private enterprise would be the kiss of death for state industry in this country.  Starved of share capital by successive private enterprise governments, our State companies have been forced to borrow from private banks at exorbitant interest rates. Despite the obstacles placed in the way of our State companies and the restrictions placed on their operations — for example being prohibited from competing with private enterprise - these companies have played a crucial role in the social and economic development of the State.  Contrary to the daily propaganda about "loss makers", in the last year our 17 main public enterprises had trading profits of £447 million, and net profits after financial charges of £85 million before tax. The Workers' Party in declaring its outright opposition to privatisation of any of our State enterprises reiterates its long standing policy that our State companies be used as the engine of economic growth and recovery.  There is no time to waste if the full potential of our State companies is to be utilised to tackle the massive jobs crisis which is the legacy of decades of reliance on private enterprise. The Workers' Party demands that substantial amounts of State funds presently being swallowed up by private companies be re-directed for Investment in the development and expansion of State industry. Such initiatives are  needed to lift the heavy burden of under capitalisation of our public enterprises.  An efficient and dynamic State sector generating wealth and creating jobs is a cornerstone of the  Workers' Party plan for economic development and job creation. The party will fight inside and  outside Dáil Eireann to oppose and expose those who would hijack the State's resources in the  interests of private profit.  OUR PAY POLICY  There should not be one-sided restrictions on pay. We believe, as does the trade union movement, in a pay policy, but it must include all incomes and be linked to an agreed policy of investment — a comprehensive national plan. A pay policy to the establishment parties means restricting workers' pay.  Government should not prevent the payment of awards agreed upon by the machinery established for this purpose.  The Workers' Party believes in equal pay.  OUR TAXATION POLICY  The present tax System is glaringly unjust, It favours the wealthy, business and the prosperous end of farming. We have long been active on this scandal as have the trade unions.  We have many times pointed out injustice in the present System of taxation, We now say that in relation to income tax the following facts are a grave scandal.  In 1981 the PAYE sector paid 87.7% of the total income tax bill. In 1986 this percentage increased to 90.3%. Over the same period the number of employees (PAYE taxpayers) fell by 8%.  It is a grave injustice, the PAYE sector was charged an increase of 2,6% in their total income tax bill while at the same time they suffered a reduction in numbers of 8%. The employers and self employed suffered a reduction of 1.4% in numbers but received a reduction of 3% in their income tax bill.  The enormity of the injustice becomes clearer when explained in numbers:  Employees (PAYE taxpayers) 524,000 — who pay 90.3% of the total income tax bill. Employers and self-employed 228,300 — who pay 8.2% of the total income tax bill,  ,The Workers' Party calls for a reduction of 10% in the total income tax bill paid by the PAYE sector. The payment of this 10% should be transferred to employers, self-employed and farmers.  A transfer of 10% of the total income tax bill from the PAYE sector to employers and self-employed would mean a total saving of over £235 million in the PAYE sector tax bill. They would still pay a little over 70% of the total income tax bill, would still carry more than their fair share of the total bill but the scale of injustice would not be so great.  The estimated £600 million in tax not collected from the black economy should be collected. We also point out that a tax bill of over £700 million remains uncollected. It is owed by employers and self-employed .1 Many millions of this amount related to unpaid taxes collected from the PAYE sector and not paid In.  VAT must be removed from clothing and footwear. This charge has increased from 0% in 1981 to 10% in 1986.  The Workers' Party calls for the restoration of food subsidies on bread, milk and butter. These items form a large pan of the diet of people on social welfare or on low incomes. It is a mean saving of £31 million — a bill transferred in serious measure to the needy.  Cuts in health and education must be fought. The subsidising by taxpayers' money of the new luxury private hospitals is a schema to give luxury medical care to the wealthy where the taxpayer pays up.  The Workers' Party does not accept that present overall levels of taxation are too high. We say that the PAYE sector is paying far too much tax.  THE CONSTRUCTION ANO BUILDING SUPPLY INDUSTRIES  It is unjust to have half the workforce in these industries unemployed while people need housing, and many areas lack necessary amenities.  The Workers' Party plans to put the construction industry back to work. There must be a sharp cut in building costs. This means putting an end to the rezoned building land racket.  We also believe in public sector activity in this area of our economy in order to prevent the » greater part of public funds provided for this sector being creamed off by the private sector.  JOB CREATION FROM THE LAND  Land, our greatest natural resource, should also be a rich source of new jobs. It is freely admitted that land is underused and that both our agriculture industry and the potential of job creation in food processing and in the processing of industrial crops has been developed to only a marginal degree. To begin the process, at this lime of crisis for agriculture, the Workers' Party proposes that a special authority, the Farming and Food Development Authority, be established to develop agriculture and all its related industries.  The present System of financial aid to farmers combined with the existing structure of the Common Agricultural Policy will not bring about a sustained increase in marketable output nor will they ensure the most productive use of our land resources. They have also failed miserably to develop a comprehensive, System OF industrial and marketing linkage between the producer on the land and the consumers of food products, timber or horticultural products.  We believe that the creation of a single government agency is vital for the development of the agricultural sector as a vital industrial sector of our economy and as one with enormous job creation potential. That agency, the Agricultural Development Authority, would have the responsibility of stimulating investment. farm modernisation, diversification of production, and the development of food processing, production and marketing. It would also take over the State's role In respect of land use policy, research and development, and training. In addition the disease eradication scheme and the various grants for infrastructural development on the land would be administered in accordance with the priorities of the Authority.  In future all State aids for agriculture should be related to farm plans, national production priorities, value added production, and employment potential. The new Authority would be the executive authority of the State in this sector and have on its board representatives of the farmer' organisations, trade unions, the various development agencies and the State itself. It would be similar in structure to the IDA, but would have a very-specific development role in relation to agriculture, food and land use.  COMPOSITION OF THE FARMINQ AND FOOD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY  (1) ACOT ~ needed to educate farmers and provide an advisory service;  (2) The Agricultural Credit Corporation — needed to finance farm and food industry development on a planned basis.  (3) The Sugar Company — it should revert to its 1960s rote of developing a serious food industry;  (4) An FORAS Taluntais — scientific research.  (5) A Farm Development Service — to control development grants and to ensure that improved and increased Output is directly related to the size of the grant provided.  (6) A marketing agency — to find and organise markets; to give advice on product development and to control marketing.  (7j A central planning and development unit — to plan extensive development, the growing of industrial crops and the development of the processing of industrial crops and raw hides to leather and similar activities.  (8) Bord na Mona — to develop forestry and industries related to this use of land. The manufacture of paper and other wood derived products should be the responsibility of Bord na Mona.  (9) An advisory council should be a part of the Farming and Food Development Authority. The advisory council should be made up of the farming organisations and the trade unions with members employed in farming and related industries.  NORTHERN IRELAND  The Workers' Party has consistently campaigned for PEACE, WORK, DEMOCRACY and CLASS POLITICS in Northern Ireland for well over a decade. The party has taken every possible opportunity to bring this programme to the voters of Northern Ireland in general, local and bye elections.  PEACE  We are totally opposed to all paramilitary gangs; we seek the elimination of terrorism and establishment of the rule of law. The party has recognised the major reforms which have taken place within the RUC and wish to see the police service exercise it's role and authority throughout the community.  Work  The party has presented a wide range of economic proposals to both the present British Government and the Labour 'opposition designed to tackle the deep-seated unemployment problem which must be tackled, in the main, by the state.  The party's economic programme is based upon the development of Northern Ireland's natural resources, in particular lignite, major investment in the building and engineering industries, expansion of specialised food production and the development of the natural fibres industry.  The party has called for an all-party jobs conference to enable the widest possible contribution to be made to the solving of Northern Ireland's chronic unemployment.  DEMOCRACY  * The party is committed to democratic devolved government and the securing of a bill of rights for Northern Ireland. Continued direct rule from London is not only undemocratic but is weakening political culture in the state. However the party believes that the principle and spirit of democracy must permeate all public institutions. We therefore also seek fully comprehensive integrated education in place of the present sectarian elitist structures.  CLASS POLITICS  The Workers' Party stands virtually alone in opposing the sectarian politics and parties of both the Unionist and Nationalist blocks. We stand absolutely alone in presenting a Socialist programme as the only possible alternative to the discredited and failed System of private enterprise. '  The party is constantly seeking every opportunity to raise class consciousness within the community so that citizens can identify themselves primarily as workers rather than members of sectarian Nationalist or Unionist blocks.  ANGLO - IRISH AGREEMENT  The Workers' Party voted in favour of the Anglo — Irish Agreement as it appeared to offer a chance for peace, devolved government and a Bill of Rights. At the time we were, and we still are, highly critical of the undemocratic manner at which the agreement was arrived. We forecast the alienation of the Unionist majority in Northern Ireland and this has happened.  The agreement has not as yet delivered on it's major propositions and indeed we appear to be even further removed from securing democratic politics in Northern Ireland.  The party has therefore called for a "non-contentious location" of the Maryfield Secretariat and suspension of governmental meetings to enable all party talks, without preconditions, to begin in Northern Ireland to secure new democratic institutions.  As part of our efforts to win support for the party's Northern Ireland programme we are shortly initiating a campaign throughout the British Labour movement which in the event of a Labour government being returned to Westminster we hope will make a significant difference to the quality of life for all the people of Northern Ireland.  INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS  Ireland has had a long history of neutrality. This neutrality should now be given a positive character to allow our government take a more active position in raising issues of world peace, nuclear disarmament, and support for developing countries and those seeking 10 create democratic governments in place of racist or dictatorial regimes.  Ireland is in a key position to work for peace and social progress in the world, through development of our role as a neutral and non-aligned state. Within the EEC we are the only country not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It is the duty of the government to strongly defend and enhance this status.  Instead our neutrality is under threat from a number of sources. There must be very deep concern at the government's failure to seek adequate written assurances, on our neutrality in negotiations on the EEC's Single European Act. The Workers' Party was the only party to propose in the Dáil that the Act be referred back for amendments to this effect.  The government has also displayed an unwillingness to condemn the United States government's trade embargo on Nicaragua and support for terrorist groups attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government there. ,  POSITIVE NEUTRALITY  The best means of defending our neutrality is by making it positive in nature and developing relations with other neutral and non-aligned states.  A policy of positive neutrality could be enhanced specifically through membership of the Movement of Non-Aligned States, through development of formal contacts with other European neutral countries, such as Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, and by participating with these and other countries such as India and Greece. In support of calls for and end to all nuclear weapons tests, the setting up of nuclear weapons free zones around the world, the removal of all nuclear weapons from Europe, and the dissolution of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  The Workers' Party strongly supports the call of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to have neutrality enshrined in the Constitution, and believes that a referendum to allow such a provision should be held in the lifetime of the next Dáil.  The United Nations and other relevant international bodies should be utilised as a forum to assert such a stance of positive neutrality. But we can also take practical steps at home to assure our neutrality is not undermined.  The Workers' Party, for instance, tabled a Dáil Bill recently which would forbid use of Irish ports or airspace by any military craft which carry nuclear weapons, and would require those in charge of such craft to provide written assurances to this effect before being allowed enter Irish airspace or waters. The proposals are similar to legislation already adopted by the government of New Zealand.  The Workers' Party is also completely opposed to the stationing of any nuclear weapons or NATO facilities in Northern Ireland, as such a situation would undermine Irish neutrality and make the entire island a target in the event of a third world war.  DEVELOPMENT AID  Ireland has an obligation to play a full role internationally in tackling problems of underdevelopment, and to assist developing countries achieve their full economic and social potential.  The magnificent response of Irish people 10 appeals in aid of recent famines in Ethiopia and Sudan and the consistently high donations to Trocaire, Gorta and other voluntary agencies involved in development work, proves we are fully aware of and anxious to help tackle these problems. Unfortunately the response of consecutive governments on this issue has been much less than satisfactory.  We are still far from achieving United Nations recommended levels of development aid, despite promises made over the years. The target must be to reach the UN figure of 0.7 percent of Gross National Product within the next 10 years by means of a guaranteed annual increase.  LIBERATION MOVEMENTS  A further aspect of positive neutrality would involve Ireland speaking out in support of people whose countries are controlled by racist or dictatorial governments, and where the right to participate in the democratic process is denied.  In particular this means offering full support to the ANC of South Africa and the SWAPO of Namibia in their efforts to bring about an end to apartheid and create democracy in their countries. In other countries also, such as El Salvador, Chile and Palestine, people are subjected to denial of even the most basic and fundamental rights and liberties — they deserve our full support.  The Workers' Party calls on the government to grant official recognition to the ANC as the representatives of the South African people in their 75th anniversary year, to grant similar recognition to the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, and declare support for the right of the Palestinian people to an Independent homeland.  Elsewhere countries with progressive governments, such as Nicaragua, Angola and Mozambique are being put under increased military, terrorist and economic threat by countries such as the United States and South Africa under the guise of 'defending western values'. -  The Irish government should, through use of it's influence al the UN, establishment of diplomatic relations and other suitable means, defend the rights of people in these countries to build a better future without outside interference or attack.  The Workers' Party supports the involvement of Irish Troops in United Nations peace keeping operations.  SOCIAL WELFARE  The Workers' Party sees social welfare reform as a major and urgent priority. We see the present System as unnecessarily complex and costly; as well as being irrational and inefficient, Worse still, it can be unjust and even inhumane.  Prolonged economic recession and high unemployment have magnified the problems of social welfare to crisis proportions. Right-wing parties and politicians have responded with crude calls for cuts in spending but this is no solution at all.  ATTACK POVERTY - NOT THE POOR  The Workers' Party sees major inadequacies and inequities in the present social welfare System and has proposed substantial changes in order 10 achieve:  * an adequate minimum income for every individual, irrespective of sex or age, family or domestic situation, employment or marital status;  * harmonisation of tax and social welfare so as to remove the 'poverty trap' and make sure that not only does no one receive less than the minimum income, but that everyone whose income (from whatever source) exceeds the minimum, pays tax on a fair and equal basis;  * equity between all categories of recipients from, and contributors to, the social welfare system;  * the removal of all discrimination based on sex, family, marital or employment status:  * the simplification of many of the procedures involved in both paying tax and receiving benefits from the state;  * making the system human by the removal of all indignities suffered by people claiming social welfare.  COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WELFARE  When the Commission reported, the Workers' Party endorsed the majority of its proposals and urged their early implementation. We bitterly resent and condemn the Coalition Government's failure to endorse (he report and embark on any of the many positive changes suggested.  We particularly support the Commission's emphasis on the need to improve the position of the poorest people in Irish society — mainly the many families hit by long-term unemployment — by rationalising and raising the basic levels of social welfare payments.  The Workers' Party also welcomes the Commission's decision to put figures on what these basic payment levels should be. In the past, these levels have always been determined by political and budgetary considerations rather than by the actual needs of people trying to live on social welfare. The Commission established clearly once and for all what huge numbers of people in Ireland already know: that most social welfare payments are too low to live on; and that most people who are obliged to depend on them for long periods end up doing without necessities, or getting into debt, or both.  The Commission also recommended certain other improvements which the Workers' Party has often advocated and regards as being priorities. For example:  * Children: the need to urgently increase income support.  * Unemployed: an extension of the period for which benefit is payable; and a relaxation of rules forbidding the unemployed to engage in education courses when drawing benefit.  * Signing-on: improving and humanising the whole 'delivery' side of social welfare.  * Equality: paying married men and women full Personal rates where each spouse has qualified for (hem in their own right.  * Appeals: an urgent reform of the appeals System.  * Fuel and Electricity: extending these allowances to the long-term unemployed.  In relation 10 the last of these points, the Workers' Party condemns the Coalition Government's various attempts to frustrate such a development. We also note with alarm the increasing tendency for governments to resist demands for social welfare reform and to concede changes only when forced by the Courts to do so. Instead of themselves coming forward with legislation designed to iron out anomalies in the System, it has become almost standard practice for them to do nothing and wait until EEC legislation or individual litigation forces them to make alterations. We see this as 'reactionary' government in the true sense of the term; and believe that it should be thoroughly exposed and opposed.  [For the most part, the Workers' Party endorses the Commission's report. But we do also see tome fundamental weaknesses. In general, these coincide with the aspects of Workers' Party policy which  distinguish us most clearly from other parties and which, in our view, give (his Party's policies the  consistency, coherence and far-sightedness that others lack  One such weakness is, we believe, the Commission's view that pay-related benefits should be phased out and the idea of a national, income-related pension schema abandoned (at least for the time being. We cannot accept that there is any necessary conflict between urgently improving the position of people who are worst-off (with which we strongly agree) and maintaining — even improving — the position of the slightly better-off people who are obliged (perhaps only occasionally) to depend on social welfare. Indeed, we believe it is perfectly possible for the System to cater for the needs of both groups very effectively.  In our view, the social welfare System should seek to achieve maximum coverage: it should cover  as many people as possible, for all possible eventualities. Not only would this secure the most  advantageous treatment for the largest number, but it would minimise the need and scope for rip-  off private-enterprise schemas which will otherwise inevitably seek to till and exploit the 'gaps' in  the system.  MINIMUM INCOME  The Workers' Party was also disappointed in the Commission's rejection of the 'minimum income'  concept, as this is one of the cornerstones of our policy. We believe that the tax and social welfare systems should be harmonised so as to ensure that every adult has a basic, living income in his or her own right; that every child has a reasonable proportion of this amount; and that everyone whose income (whatever the source) exceeds this amount pays tax on a fair and equal basis.  We recognise, of course, that the problem of taxing everyone fairly - which is the pre-condition of the minimum income system advocated by us — is a formidable one. No government backed by the wealthy and propertied classes is willing or able to face up to the farmers and the self-employed on this issue or even to implement minor changes in a gradual way. And no other type of government has yet been tried in Ireland.  However, the Workers' Party is not prepared to resign itself to this unjust situation, o» to stop advocating justice merely because it is so difficult 10 achieve. We will not abandon the ideals of social justice and the re-distribution of income just because they seem impossibly distant in bur present morass.  But we must stress again that the attainment of such ideals depends to a very large extent not only on tax reform. but on major economic expansion and the creation of new and sustainable employment; and that our economic policies are designed precisely to allow for the attainment of such social ideals as these.  SEX DISCRIMINATION  Another major objective of the Workers' Party is the full and final removal of sex discrimination from all spheres of life. This includes the social welfare system. After all the fuss about implementing the EEC 'Equality' Directive, some people may think that this has now been done, but in tact nothing could be further from the truth.  We have spelt out in detail the shortcomings of the recent 'equality' changes; the new problems which have, in fact been created by some of them the old problems that have been left untouched; and the changes needed in order to remove sex discrimination once and for all.  In our view, a full minimum income System could achieve this and would be the best way of doing so, as it would also remedy many other Ills of the present System. In the meantime, however, it would be possible to treat men and women equally in all respects, to treat married people more fairly; and to remove the various indignities suffered by many women, especially those with children: if the commitment and political will to do so existed.  In general, married men and women are still treated quite differently when they separate, divorce, remarry or cohabit: men raising children on their own still do not receive the same benefits as women. (On the other hand, however, they are not subjected to the same level of questioning, scrutiny or harassment as lone female parents.) And the tact that men still do not receive certain benefits connected with the care of dependants betrays the system's continuing sexist assumptions about men and women's relative roles in the workplace and the home.  The Workers' Party believes that these assumptions are now well and truly out-moded. The economy has begun to accommodate equality between the sexes and sooner or later, the social welfare System must do likewise. We want it to be sooner rather than later.  SOCIAL WELFARE PLANNING  The Workers' Party has viewed the chaotic mismanagement of the implementation of the 'Equality'  Directive as an indication of government incompetence and insensitivity to the needs of low-income    groups in our society. We also see it as an indication of the urgent need for social welfare planning. In the past insufficient resources have been devoted to charting a rational course for the development of what has become an incredibly complex system and although there have now been some organisational changes within the Department of Social Welfare, the structures would still appear to be hopelessly inadequate to the tasks ahead.  In particular, the Workers' Party calls for the establishment of a National Social Welfare Planning Board which will ensure that long-term development of the System occurs in tandem with policy formulation in the areas of taxation, industrial policy and economic development. We believe that our first national priority must be to end poverty in Ireland and that to do so requires sustained, integrated, long-term economic and social planning of a kind which has yet to be developed but whose initiation has become an urgent necessity.  HEALTH  Nothing is so important to a nation as the health of its people, and health service should never depend on the ability of any citizen to pay for it.  The Workers' Party believes that all health services should be free, and that they should be paid for out of general taxation. Those who can afford to pay more should do so through taxes, while those who cannot should gel the same high quality care and treatment.  Proper health services are a right, or should be. This is not the case in Ireland today: those who can afford Voluntary Health Insurance get an excellent service, and those who cannot get long waiting periods, long queues, and more and more, a very inadequate service.  NATIONAL PLAN  Our health service grew haphazardly, and there are many differences from region to region, and variations on harsh class lines. The cutbacks forced on the services in the past few years have exposed these weaknesses, because they have been as arbitrary and haphazard as the development of the service itself.  The Workers' Party believes that the proportion of Gross National Product spent on health should be held at the previous level of 8.6% and a National Health Plan should be introduced based on that figure.  The basis of this plan must be equal access for all, and a uniform service should be provided throughout the country.  HOSPITAL SERVICES  We have today two hospital services: those for private patients, in the control of private doctors, one for public patients. One of the scandals of recent years has been the flagrant abuse of the public System by doctors simply taking beds for their own, fee-paying patients. Our priorities would be:  — reduce the waiting lists for hospital admissions, ensure that treatment by specialists in out-patients is speedy and easy for all;  — put all hospitals financed by public money in the control of the public, hospitals would account to the Department of Health for their budgets;  — establish a system of Community Health Councils to ensure that hospitals account to the local community which they serve;  — ensure that both hospital and specialist services are free to all;  — implement the EEC Charter on Patients' Rights..  To achieve this, the Workers' Party would extend the 1% Health Levy to all income groups, and extend eligibility for specialist services to 100% of the population. When all are eligible, tax relief on VHI contributions should be abolished. This would bring in an extra £32 million in the current year for expenditure on public health services.  We would insist on a complete separation of private and public services, with doctors working in the public health service debarred from private practice. There would be no subsidies, direct or indirect, for elitist private care.  SPECIALISTS  There should be a major increase in the number of specialists, especially in those areas in which mare are now long waiting lists, such AS Orthopaedics. This could be financed partly by a reduction in the number    of junior hospital doctors, improving the ratio of specialists to junior doctors This would make it easier for specialist to be more directly involved in the daily management of out patients and hospital admissions  An intensive schema should be set up which would encourage specialists to practice in the public service.  GENERAL PRACTIT10NERS' SERVICES  The Workers' Party would keep the choice-of-doctors’ scheme, but change the method by which both doctors and pharmacists are paid Instead of paying a fee for each item of service, we would introduce payment by salary per numbers of those served in the community  The emphasis should be on the promotion of good health practices, and the prevention of illness The free service should be extended to all of the population, and doctors encouraged to provide wider services  COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES  Community based services must be developed and extended, and this will require a major job creation programme in the caring professions Full family planning services should be provided by local health board clinics, as should child care service!)  A dramatic shift in policies towards mental health is also necessary It is not enough to call for hospitals to be closed down and replaced with community services, as the present government bas done in its "Planning for the Future" document. A network of good community services must first be established, including day care centres, sheltered workshops, hostels, counselling and 24 hour emergency centres These must be set up to meet the individual needs of the local community and the local community must be involved  Here as elsewhere in the health services, the emphasis should be on prevention of problems and promotion of good health, rather than on medical treatment of illness  LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE  The Workers' Party believes in the principles of local democracy — in people having a real democratic control over and say in the decisions which affect their lives — how their houses are designed, how the housing estate is planned, what facilities are provided, how the area is policed, how the children are educated, how health services are provided. We believe that the principle of local democracy and local government should be enshrined in the constitution.  In Ireland, local government does not equate with local democracy The powers of local government are more limited in Ireland than anywhere else in Europe  The role of elected Councillors is restricted due to the increasing centralisation of real decision making in the Department of the Environment, and due to the undemocratic system of city and county management, which gives appointed managers and officials a far greater say in local government than the democratically elected councils.  The structures and size of many local authorities, especially in Dublin, mean that local government is as remote from the people as the Dáil. The powers which councillors do have, have very often been abused by conservative councillors more interested in pursuing their own or their friends" Personal profit and interests than in advancing the common good  Since the abolition of domestic rates in 1978, Local Authorities have suffered a financial crisis as successive Fianna Fáil and Coalition Governments have failed to provide the funds needed by local councils  In the next Dáil, the Workers' Party will press for legislation to:  * Strengthen local democracy by establishing a broader network of local authorities, with in addition to County, Town, City and District Councils, a new tier of local councils, especially in the larger cities to ensure that there IS genuine local democracy.    * Local authorities to be given a broader range of functions to include:  (I) Commercial activity including the provision of shops etc at local level.  (II) Community services, including legal and technical assistance with house building or purchase.  (III) Employment creation in productive enterprise.  (iv) New structures for the control of education, health services, policing and leisure facilities, under  the aegis of the local council.  (v) Greater powers to enforce planning regulations, building bye laws, control of rented accommodation and environmental protection.  (vi) Greater control over the delivery of services at local level — including Social Welfare, Employment Exchanges etc.  * The City and County Management’s Acts to be amended to confer greater decision-making on the elected Councils and to exercise greater control over the management and administration of local government.  * The funding of local authorities to be seen in the context of overall taxation. The Workers' Party believes that in the context of our existing lax system, a fixed proportion of all Central Revenue should be set aside for local government and this to be distributed among local authorities based on their needs etc.  * Concerning the re-organisation of local government in the Dublin area, the Workers' Party believes that traditional county or town boundaries have very little meaning, given the ways Dublin bas developed, and that the existence of such boundaries now has resulted in appalling anomalies for ordinary people — Dublin Corporation houses on County Council land — differences in social welfare entitlements, etc.  The Workers' Party favours the establishment of d) a democratically elected Greater Dublin Council to cover the City and County of Dublin  (II) Separate City or County Councils along the lines already intended  (III) A new tier of local councils for local areas, such as Tallaght/Clondalkin, Ballyfermot, Finglas.  We have led the opposition to water charges since they were introduced Our councillors have succeeded in having them ended in some local authority areas We will continue to campaign against them as they are a form of double taxation  In conclusion then, what the Workers' Party wants is a System of Local Government which is genuinely local and genuinely democratic, with greater scope for direct involvement of and consultation with the people. We want these powers for these local authorities so that local councils are not just the providers of water and carriers of sewage, but exercise real control over the environment, over services and development at local level. We want these powers to be exercised primarily by the elected councillors. We want the Local Authorities to be properly funded so that they can provide the services needed at local level.  For us "decentralisation" does not mean simply re-locating civil servants or their offices out of Dublin It means giving power back to the people at local level, The Local Authorities are the vehicle for real decentralisation  HOUSING  THE PROBLEMS  Despite the enormous population and demographic changes which have occurred, Government Housing Policy has not been reviewed for a quarter of a century! The last White Paper on Housing was in 1960.  In the meantime, the people's need for homes has been exploited by land speculators, by unscrupulous builders and developers and by private landlords. Successive Governments have failed to provide housing at reasonable cost and have encouraged and subsidised the private building sector, even when this was in conflict with the common good  THE PLAN  The Workers' Party believes the Housing is a basic human need, that every citizen and family is entitled to a comfortable home at reasonable cost and that the state should ensure that this is achieved. Houses should be built to meet human needs not for private profit  The Workers' Party believes that the approach to Housing should be radically changed  Specifically, the Workers' Party proposes:    * The establishment of a State Construction Company, to carry out construction contracts for Local Authorities, Health Boards, and Government Departments This would give security of employment to building workers and would ensure higher building standards.  * Each Local Authority to be given a wider role in the supply of houses. The Victorian concept of Local Authorities only housing "those who cannot afford to house themselves" should be abolished and the local authority should be allowed to build for sale, letting on a commercial basis, short-term leases.  Students and young workers should be able to buy from local authorities. This would mean local authorities expanding their house building programmes to cater not only for those on their housing lists, but also for the wider market.  * Rents of local authority houses on the Differential Rent Scheme should be kept down. The System of negotiations between the Department of the Environmental and NATO should be resumed, and there should be no increases in rent in the meantime.  * The maintenance of local authority houses should be improved. Each local authority should have a planned maintenance programme, and have sufficient staff and resources to carry it out.  * Special attention should be paid at the condition of houses. Many houses, especially those occupied by elderly people, are in serious states of disrepair. A National Housing Conditions programme of improving the conditions of the National Housing Stock should be undertaken.  * People who have purchased houses from local authorities should be entitled to have latent defects remedied. Such defects often show up long after purchases, and at present the purchaser has no redress.  * New legislation to regulate the private building sector should be introduced. This should provide for:.  (a) Minimum-standards for materials and house construction. Developers failing to meet these standards should be made personally liable for the purchaser's loss and should face stiff penalties INCLUDING PRISON SENTENCE» for failure to build safe sound houses.  (b) Developers should be made liable for latent defects in houses which often do not show up for  years after purchase. The C.I.F. Housing Guarantee Scheme should be widened and access to  it made easier. ^  (c) Developers should be forced to properly finish off housing estates. They should be made  personally liable FOR this work and any developer who does not satisfactorily finish off a housing  estate should be refused planning permission for further developments.  (d) Tax relief on mortgages should be replaced by a mortgage subsidy subject to a maximum credit  or subsidy, This would ensure that all mortgage holders would benefit rather than just those  with a taxable income. This subsidy should be confined to the purchase of one family home.  (e) STRONGER legislation should be introduced to control building societies — to control rates of  interest, TO democratise their structures and to control excessive expenditure on Directors' fees,  Advertising, unnecessary offices, etc.  (f) The price of building land should be controlled. Successive Governments have failed to  implement the findings of the Kenny Report (1971). Local authorities should be empowered to  compulsorily acquire land for building.  (g) Local authorities should be given the power and finance for the renewal and refurbishment of  older housing stock - for programmes of Inner City and Town Renewal.  (h) Specific legislation should be introduced to control the private rented sector. The emphasis in  this legislation should be on the protection of tenants" rights by establishing Fair Rents  Tribunals, and by making landlords responsible for having minimum standards in rented  accommodation and for the proper maintenance of flats and houses.  »    ENVIRONMENT  For the Workers' Party the environment is not an abstract issue, it concerns the immediate living conditions of the people. We believe every citizen should have a comfortable home which is clean, warm properly serviced and provides adequate privacy for all members of the household.  At present the rich have comfort in super-abundance: expensive residences, holiday homes, membership of exclusivist recreational clubs and frequent foreign holidays. The working class have functional housing, unpleasant surroundings and in many cases no basic community or leisure facilities.  This party believes in building communities through proper planning. The narrow definition of planning, as laid down in the present Planning Acts, should be broadened considerably in order to provide shops, transport, leisure and community centres at the very start of housing developments, not years later. Shops and other essential service should be within walking distance. .  The outgoing Fine Gael-Labour government has failed totally to honour its commitment to end compensation loopholes in the existing Planning Acts. The result of this has been the courts have continued to aware huge sums in compensation to property speculators. Immediate action is required to end this practice.  Cheap, efficient and clean public transport, including the extension of rapid rail services, would reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in towns and cities.  POLLUTION  The people hold this planet in trust for future generations. Technological advances have in some cases improved the quality of life but in others have the capacity for the destruction of the environment. In particular, the Workers' Party calls for -  * Greater control of agricultural waste which is now causing pollution in many of our rivers.  * Modem Systems of sewage and refuse disposal to reduce land and sea pollution.  * The closure of Sellafield to reduce the dangers of radioactive pollution in the Irish Sea. The Government to work more actively to ensure greater safety in the nuclear industry world-wide,  * Measures to tackle the Acid Rain problem including the installation of filtering devices in the Moneypoint Power Station.  * The extension of smoke-free zones in cities and towns, backed-up by reductions in prices of smokeless fuels so that the cost will not fall on lower income families.  * Restrictions on tobacco smoking in public places, restaurants, etc.  URBAN RENEWAL  The Workers' Party believes that every local authority should have an Urban Renewal Programme to revitalise the dying inner-core of our cities and towns.  Successive Governments have allowed free rein to market forces in central urban areas with the result that straightforward greed has caused the property speculators and private developers to concentrate on the "fashionable" or; more accurately, profitable locations. The "unfashionable" or non-profitable areas have been allowed fall into pitiful decay.  Nowhere is this more obvious than in Dublin where the inner-city directly south of O'Connell bridge is apparently thriving and well-maintained but parts of the north inner city and the Liffey quays to the west arereminiscent of the blitzed cities of Britain and Germany in the aftermath of the second World War.  The Urban Renewal Programme which the Workers' Party calls for would lay a special emphasis on the provision by Local Authorities of residential developments in the centres of the cities and towns. This is what revitalisation means; the bringing back of life 10 these dead and dying areas.  Life means people.  SAFETY  Hundreds of people are killed in this country every year as a result of road accidents and fires. We believe that the poor state of Irish roads is a contributory cause of many accidents. More resources must be provided to improve our road network, eliminate pot-holes, dangerous bends and junctions and provide smooth, safe and clearly — marked roadways.  The standards of our fire services, even after Stardust is still inadequate. More resources must be provided for improving and modernising the fire-fighting service.) But in addition, greater emphasis must be placed on tire prevention, to include stricter and enforced regulations in places of public assembly and entertainment and the complete elimination of tire hazardous and toxic house furnishings.  I5  WOMEN  Neither women nor men can ever achieve full human rights and dignity in a society that can only survive because it depends on all forma of inequality — unemployment, exploitation, poverty, and the inequality of class. Women suffer under particular forma of discrimination, some of it open and obvious, others more hidden in attitudes and customs. ,  The Workers' Party believes that the struggle to achieve rights for women is an essential part of the working class struggle, and the party has a long and proud record of campaigning to remove legal and social discriminations. We want women to be active in political work as fully participating party members, we also believe that women should establish separate groups within the party, where necessary, to work on the issues that are of special concern to women. The Workers' Party has a National Women's Committee and comprehensive policies on these issues.  1. THE ECONOMY  When they work for wages, women are usually badly paid; when they work at home, they are not paid AT all. The majority of low-paid workers are women, working in the traditional "female" industries which have been almost untouched by equal pay legislation. Most part-time workers are also women, and (hey have very little legal protection. Most of those who work from their homes for money are also woman, part of the under-paid Black Economy labour force. The Workers' Party seeks:  A guaranteed minimum income whether working inside or outside the home.  Equal access to employment training, promotion, fringe benefits etc.  Equal pay and conditions of employment, access to pension scheme etc.  A good state-funded System of childcare.  Full employment protection rights for part-lime workers.  Parental leave and leave for family reasons for both parents.  Flexible working hours and a shorter working day.  The inclusion of women working in the home in the national pension scheme currently being planned.  2. EDUCATION  The tradition of separate schools for girls and boys in this country has meant, in reality, not only separate education but very unequal education. Girls have been cut off from the kind of training needed to find jobs in the modem world. Schooling of this kind has strengthened the notion of one role for females, one for males, not only in the training it provides but in the books and materials used. The Workers' Party seeks:  • A fundamental reassessment of curricula to eliminate sex stereotyping in teaching materials and methods.  • Equal access to apprenticeships and encouragement for girls 10 enter non-traditional areas of training.  • Adequate career guidance and counselling services.  • Provision of childcare facilities in third-level and adult education promises.  • In-service training for teachers to increase their awareness of their crucial role in ensuring educational equality for girls.  3 HEALTH  Women are responsible not only for their own health in this society, but most of the time for the health of their families. The crisis now in our health services is of urgent concern to women who are already trying to feed children on 100 little money and cope with the cutbacks which mean fewer services and longer waiting periods for medical attention. It is usually women who take on the additional burden of caring for elderly relatives, handicapped children, with cruelly inadequate help from the State. The Workers' Party seeks:  • Full family planning and women's health services provided by Health Boards at local clinics.  • Child minding facilities provided in all health centres.  • Extension of optical and dental benefit to spouses of insured workers.  • Support, both financial and in terms of services, to those caring for elderly or handicapped relative».    4. SOCIAL WELFARE  Our social welfare System is a sprawl of contradictions and complications. It grew from the old "Poor Law” SYStem of the last century, with regulations and allowances tacked on here and there. It should have been scrapped long ago and re-organised, but the major political parties have neither the interest nor Or will to make the changes. Overall, the benefits are pitched to a miserably low level — especially  for women, who are seen for the most part as dependants on men. The most vulnerable groups are forced to rely on social welfare, among them single parents, widows, deserted wives, women who look  after elderly or handicapped relatives.  The Workers' Party seeks:  • The integration of the tax and social welfare systems to eliminate the factors giving rise to the poverty trap.  • Implementation of the EEC Directive on equality for men and woman in social welfare, with whatever  adjustments are necessary to ensure that no family is worse off because of the Directive.  • Inclusion of women at home in any national pension plan.  • An end to the practice of assuming women to be 'not available for work' if they have children.  • A major information drive to ensure that those entitled to benefits are aware of them.  5 THE LAW  There have been important improvements for women in the legal changes of the past ten or twenty years, but there are still large areas of the law which oppose the concept of equality. The Workers' Party seeks:  • A charter of rights for women, based on the ICTU Women's Charter  • A wide-ranging anti-discrimination law which would supersede existing legislation where this conflicts with equal rights.  • Reform of family law and establishment of family law tribunals capable of dealing in a sensitive and  enlightened way with these matters  • An end to the constitutional prohibition on divorce and the enactment of a non-sectarian divorce law.  • An end to the legal concept of dependent domicile.  • A rigorous anti-sexism clause to be included in the advertising code.  • Strengthening of the law in relation to violence against women.  6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT  Many of the decisions which directly affect women's daily lives are made at the level of local government, by the local authority or health board. Workers' Party councillors have made a great impact m this area already and will continue to fight for those changes that improve the quality of life (or  everyone.  The Workers' Party seeks:  • Better planning of estates and facilities, including shopping, recreational and childcare facilities.  • Improved transport facilities and easier access for parents with young children etc.  • Provision of refuges for victims of domestic violence.  • Provision of shelters for homeless women.  • Registration of child-minders to ensure adequate standards of cars.  • Adoption of an 'equal opportunities' code in matters of staffing, contracts compliance and other appropriate areas.  • Provision of Family Centres in all estates.  YOUTH  The majority of young people are clearly apathetic about our political system. Their idea of politics is drawn from conservative political parties, which thrive on empty promises, cynicism and dishonesty Young people know that the political establishment has failed to provide a decent future. They are also exposed daily to the inadequacy of our education System and recognise its glaring limitations. Unemployment, low pay or exploitation stare them in the face.  The Workers' Party Is committed to building a society within which all the talent, energy and creativity of young people will be channelled into productive activity. Our education and training institutions must become centres of democratic participation for young people, within which they are prepared for active involvement in society. The world of learning and the world of work must be linked more closely. All    young people must be secure in the knowledge that they are assured of the right to live and work in their own country if they desire to exercise that right./That right can only be guaranteed fully in a planned economy where full employment is the national priority and where the labour potential of young people is considered an essential and invaluable resource, not a commodity which can be ignored or discarded. At present, young people are seen largely as a problem.  SOCIAL GUARANTEE FOR YOUTH  Our Party will fight vigorously for the Introduction of a "social guarantee" for all young people which will assure them of a guaranteed right to productive involvement in education, training, leisure and work. To fulfil that guarantee, we will reorganise all the agencies concerned with young people to ensure that access to the facilities necessary for comprehensive education and training development in accordance with their own individual potential. We will not allow the economic circumstances of any family to keep young people from educational development. We will not allow young people to suffer discrimination -because of their class background. The emphasis will be placed on equipping all young citizens, for life and ensuring that the school system has the resources to cater properly for the whole youth population, up to eighteen years of age.  As part of our programme for full employment for all workers, we must ensure that greater emphasis is placed on science, technology and creativity in the education and training institutions. We will also seek the redirection of training resources from the various Social Employment Schemes, or Start Your own Business schemas to training for long-term sustainable employment in the public or private sectors.  We will campaign in the immediate future for the following measures to be taken in the interest of young people:  * Full-time education, training or apprenticeships for all young people up to eighteen years of age.  * A "social guarantee" of full-time paid employment for all school-leavers, at pay and conditions covered by collective agreements and minimum pay laws.  * Control of all youth employment through an improved Protection of Young Persons Employment Act. This will protect young workers against low pay, long hours of work or poor working conditions.  * Trade union rights for all young people in enterprises, social employment, training and work experience schemes. Employers would not get state supports if they abuse young workers.  * Funds from the Youth Employment Levy must go to genuine job creation schemes by public enterprises, co-operatives or community organisations and for job-related training schemes. In the longer term we would hope to eliminate the need to differentiate between Youth Employment Schemes and a full programme of productive employment generated by the State.  * Leisure and sports centres must be provided in all communities, particularly in the deprived working, class communities. These centres should be built by the local authorities and be jointly run by local community representatives and the local authority. These centres should cater for sporting, cultural or educational activities. They should include facilities for music, theatre, art and leisure. Such centres, when properly managed and developed, can contribute both to providing worthwhile services and jobs'  * By including all young people at work or training in the pay-related social insurance schema, (PRSI) we will stop all discrimination against young people in the social welfare and health Systems. Such an expansion OF the health and welfare cover will bring increased recognition of the importance of young PEOPLE in our society, increase the dignity of their work and training activities.  * We will abolish all discrimination against part-time workers. This form of discrimination is now being used extensively against young workers, male and female, in a whole range of enterprises.  * The Government will be pressed to provide a fully developed System of local youth service boards to co-ordinate youth services,  * All second-level schools and-third-level institutions will be asked to provide a programme of sex education and family planning advice. Young people must be able to protect their own health and physical welfare. Education on drug abuse should be included, to prepare young people to withstand the pressures to abuse alcohol and other drugs. ,  * All health boards will be told to solve the problem of homelessness among young people. They will be statutorily obliged to ensure that there is adequate provision of shelter and accommodation for all homeless young people in their health board area.  * Young offenders must be given the option of participating in community service as an alternative to prison sentences, in most cases such activity is clearly beneficial for long-term rehabilitation.  * Existing schemes for youth exchange in education and training will be expanded to facilitate greater participation by young workers. This should involve North-South exchanges in this country and increased youth exchanges internationally. This would enable young people to expand their horizons through work experience, voluntary development aid and practical co-operation with under-developed and developing countries.    EDUCATION  The Workers' Party SEEKS a comprehensive system of education; this means that it would be State-funded, democratically controlled, relevant to society and socially progressive. Education should be free of religious or sexist bias, available to all regardless of income. People who wish to re-enter the education System must not be penalised. To make any of this possible requires proper State funding, the reversal of the recent series of cutbacks and the abolition of compulsory or "voluntary" fees on parents. A properly State funded System of education, resulting from an equitable tax System, is an investment in the future.  PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION  The development of pre-school education has been totally haphazard. Privately run pre-schools have, as a result of local need, grown up in many areas. These operate without any supervision as to staff training, educational provision, or educational standards. They also operate solely for money, largely without any funding from central or local government. The Workers' Party calls for the establishment of a national network of crèche and pre-school facilities (to be located, for instance, in housing estates, shopping complexes, and places of large employment). They should be run by properly trained staff and accessible to all parents. This System could best be administered by the Department of Education in conjunction with local government and area health boards.  PRIMARY EDUCATION  Primary education must be adequately funded by the State in order to bring about  * educationally satisfactory pupil/teacher ratios,  * adequate educational resources and proper classroom facilities,  * the implementation of child-centred curriculum in a satisfactory manner,  * provide psychological and other necessary back-up services. . Free books and school clothing for all pupils, together with a school meals scheme should be part of a proper free education System.  The Workers' Party wants a restructuring of the management structure of primary schools. At the moment, despite almost total State funding, all management control is vested in private, usually religious, bodies. This should end and local democratic control must replace it.  Despite the demand for multi-denominational education, as indicated by various surveys, the movement to provide this type of education has progressed slowly and with difficulty through the existing primary System. Contrary to the precedent established in the setting up of the earlier multi-denominational schools. The Department of Education is imposing discriminatory conditions on recent efforts to establish such schools. It has restricted the category of child to be initially enrolled in proposed Sligo, Kilkenny and Cork projects. We believe that the rules governing the opening of such schools should be in line with established rules which are in operation for the setting up of all-Irish schools.  SECOND LEVEL  Second level education should be available to all students who have completed the primary cycle. No barriers, for example fees, "voluntary" contributions, school bus charges, and especially examination fees should have to be paid by students or their parents at this level. The present system, which divides subject range and availability on the basis of sex lines, or a VEC/Church controlled level is discriminatory and educationally bad. The second level System Is unduly geared to the points system and Leving Cert exam grind, which is relevant only to that small minority of students going forward to third level education. It is largely useless to those who must leave formal education at or before Leaving Cert. The present system should be extended to include such topics as the present HEB project scheme on "life skills', sociology and the political process.  As with primary level, the Workers' Party calls for the ending of the situation whereby the State pays for the vast bulk of educational provision and yet surrenders control of these schools to religious authorities. The VECs must be extended and strengthened to assume control and management of all State-funded second level education,  THIRD LEVEL  Third level education has changed enormously over the last 10 years. New non-university third-level colleges are challenging the dominance of the universities in this sector. Student numbers have shot up but there has bean low growth in the numbers of people who have always been denied access to third-level education. While many of the barriers to participation occur in the earlier stages of the education System, these are reinforced by the higher education system. Those excluded from the system are the very people who provide most of its funding through taxes.    Big improvements are needed in the various grants schemas which apply to higher education. The schemas should be rationalised to provide an adequate level of maintenance for all students. A particular scandal at present is the fact that mature students cannot avail of the normal higher education grant. It is our view that any person who is qualified to enter a third-level course should be eligible for a grant, Those who are better off should pay for third-level education, but this should be done through the taxation system. We oppose any form of loan scheme. This would be discriminatory and would not be cost effective.  The higher education system will continue to expand until the end of the century, according to official projections. This contrasts with other European countries.  The Workers' Party believes that third-level students should be treated as mature individuals and thus should be given voting rights on the management boards of their institutions.  ADULT EDUCATION  Although adult literacy work has been under way in Ireland for over 10 years, there has never been overall planning in this vital area. Adult literacy schemes are grossly underfunded and rely heavily on voluntary effort, jet, where adult literacy schemes have been established it is clear that there is a huge demand FOR the service. Proper funding and planning is needed urgently Centres of adult education should be provided throughout the country under the auspices of the VECs.  SECOND CHANCE EDUCATION  Education is a life-long process and access to further education should be available to all, not just those who can afford to pay. Adequate funding is vital to make "second chance" education and retraining courses open to all. Although the Coalition Government agreed to implement the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation convention on release from work for the purposes of adult education, this has not happened in a satisfactory manner to date. Workers should get time off for education purposes. Social welfare should not be cut on people availing of further education.  TRAVELLING CHILDREN  Every child, regardless of background, has a constitutional right to attend their local national school. This party will not tolerate decisions by boards of management or others to prevent travelling children enrolling in their particular school. The Workers’ Party says the special needs of travelling children must be met The appointment of sufficient specialist teachers should take place now.  Education of the physically and mentally handicapped should be integrated as much AS possible in the mainstream education structure.  Contradictory demands are being made on schools in regard to the Irish language. On the one hand schools are being asked to be the springboard for the maintenance and revival of the language, while on the other hand they are being starved of any resources to do the job. The survival of the language depends on how much governments are willing to support it.  JUSTICE AND CIVIL LIBERTIES  In theory all citizens are equal before the law, in practice, our legal System heavily favours the better-off in society, especially substantial property owners. The Workers' Party seeks to ensure equality under the law so that the ordinary citizen's right to a home, a job and a decent life are upheld.  Among the basic rights we demand are:    EMPLOYMENT   Protection of jobs. The right of all workers to information on the affairs of the company that employs them, an extension of legal protection for part-time workers, equal pay and opportunities for women and the strengthening of the rights of trade unions.    WOMEN  The full implementation and strengthening of legislation for equality in education the legal System and social welfare.  The Workers' Party welcomes the campaign by the Rape Crisis Centre for reform of the law relating to rape. The legal process for a rape victim is extraordinarily harsh and narrow. Because of this only a small proportion of rapes are notified to the Gardai. In this way the legal process is actually preventing detection of such crimes and their prosecution through the courts. Any law which has this effect is dearly in need or urgent reform.  New Legislation must provide for:  1) The widening of the definition of rape  2) REPRESENTATION FOR the victim during legal proceedings  3) Exclusion OF the victim's past sexual history from evidence.  4) Recognition of rape within marriage as a criminal offence.  CHILDREN  We support the abolition of the concept of illegitimacy, greater protection for children at risk. Improved family support services and a proper family tribunal system as well as equal educational opportunities for all children, reform of the adoption laws and proper health care.  HOUSING  All citizens should have a decent home free from exploitation by unscrupulous landlords. We call the implementation of the Housing Miscellaneous Provisions Bill and an end to citizens being forced to live in overcrowded conditions in order to accumulate points on the housing lists of some local authorities.  ACCESS  This Party supports the rights of minority communities and the building of a pluralist society as well as proper legal aid facilities so that all citizens can have access to the law regardless of their income levels. In addition we seek simplification of various legal procedures for example in the area of house purchase and the introduction of a small claims court.  VICTIM SUPPORT  One of the most neglected areas within the legal system as it currently operates is that of help and support for victims of crime. The Workers' Party welcomes the establishment of the Irish Association for Victim Support and calls for sufficient funding for the Association to enable it to carry out its very necessary work of providing practical support for the victims of crime as well as identifying the changes needed in the broad legal process to protect the rights of victims. We are particularly concerned at the abolition of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal and seek its re-establishment as a matter of urgency.  SECTION 31  The Workers' Party supports the repeal of Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act which, in any case, has filed to achieve its original objectives. It should be replaced by general legislation banning increment to racial or religious hatred or violence, which would also cover statements made on radio or television.  POLICINQ  One of the most important rights a citizen has is the right to Personal safety and security, to feel safe in hit or her home and on the streets.    To provide protection from crime it is essential to have a police service which commands wide community support and respect.  The Workers' Party views policing as a service to the community.  It must be an unarmed service with a strong community policing dimension. The neighbourhood watch schema has many positive aspects, but it is not a substitute for genuine community policing.  There must be some accountability at Local Government level and we would see local Garda Liaison Committees with a consultative role as being the most effective way of providing this within the framework of the existing organisation of the Garda Siochana.  There is also an urgent need for a Garda Authority which would remove the Gardai from immediate political influence. Such a body must, however, have a democratic component with a minimum number of elected positions as well as representation from community and trade unions.  A strong, independent complaints procedure is also vitally important to the credibility of the Gardai in the communities they are supposed to serve. The Workers' Party fought long and hard for this when the Criminal Justice Bill was going through the Dáil. ,  COMBATTING THE DRUGS PROBLEM  There have been substantial improvements in legislation to tackle the drugs problem and in the way drugs offences are processed through the Criminal Justice System. Many previous loopholes exploited by drug dealers have been closed off and many dealers are currently serving long jail sentences. Detection of drug-related crime remains an enormous problem, and this is a question of resources rather than legislation. The Workers' Party seeks the provision of funding to tackle three main areas of acute urgency:  1) Garda resources to enable more effective prevention and detection of drug crimes  2) A strengthened and revamped Customs and Excise unit to prevent drugs from entering the country  3) A major input of funds into the treatment of drug dependency coupled with a vigorous schools education programme.  In addition we would wish to see drugs legislation include the power to seize and confiscate proceeds from drug dealings.  GAEILGE  The Workers' Party recognises the Irish — speaking population as an important minority grouping within the community as a whole. Like other minorities, Irish speakers are subject to discrimination and in this regard we call for a Bill of Rights for Irish speakers to establish the right of those who speak the language to use it.  While the Constitution enshrines Irish as the first official language, in practice Irish speakers are subject to many of the restrictions imposed on linguistic minorities in other countries  The Gaeltacht areas are vital to the survival of Irish as a living language. Citizens in the Gaeltacht areas should have the same rights to conduct their business with national and local government agencies in the Irish language as citizens in the rest of the country do in English.  Greater attention should be paid to the development of resource-based industry in the Gaeltacht through a comprehensive development plan which takes in all aspects of life in these areas including educational, cultural and linguistic development.  Uduras na Gaeltachta should establish Bord na n-Oilean to serve the needs of people living on the islands.  The Workers' Party supports the establishment of an Irish Language Television channel to ensure the survival of the language as well as providing a service to meet the needs of the Gaeltacht as well as Irish speaking population in the towns and cities.  We recognise Irish as a unique part of our heritage belonging to all and not just the property of one section of the population. We welcome and encourage the upsurge in all Irish national and secondary schools and recognise the need for Irish to be taught as a spoken, living language.    CULTURE  The aim of the Workers' Party cultural policy is to establish democratic access to the richness of cultural life. Our task is to change the situation where culture is identified with a narrow élite who are interested in the arts and in doing so encourage the development of a radical culture of change.  As the party representing the working class our responsibility is to fight not just for bread but for a concept of culture as a broad non-elitist range of human expression from entertainment to creative participation in the arts, literature, sport, music, drama and society  CULTURAL WORKERS  Wages and working conditions for cultural workers are below the average for the industrial worker. Underemployment is a problem particular to those who work in cultural areas, especially for actors. We give full support to the trade union organisations which have developed in recent years to improve the conditions of those workers. It is our policy to ensure that all cultural workers have a basic minimum wage and full cover for health and social welfare.  DEMOCRATIC ACCESS  There is a need to ensure that cultural activities can be participated in by all, particularly AT local level. This requires greater access to culture for all through the lowering of the cost of cultural activities. Public funding of the arts must be based on allowing greater accessibility and in eliminating elitism  The recent decision to charge entry fees to the National Museum is an example of how the poor are being squeezed out of cultural life. It is a move to which we are vehemently opposed,  In order to create cultural democracy our emphasis will be on eliminating the economic and social obstacles which deny many creative people access to cultural activities.  We propose the following:  1) Under local government —  * The employment of local arts officers  * The inclusion of facilities for exhibitions and cultural events in leisure and community centres  2) At national government level  * The establishment of an employment and social welfare category of artist.  * Increased funding of the Arts Council  * Trade Union representation on the board of the Arts Council  * The mandatory inclusion of one Arts subject in every school curriculum and an end to the principle of adult education as a self-financing exercise.  * The establishment of an Irish national committee of UNESCO.  PHYSICAL CULTURE AND SPORT '  In Ireland the lack of co-operation among the various sporting organisations has led to the proliferation of sub-standard sporting facilities. The introduction of the National Lottery and it's subsequent financing of sport should be conditional on greater state and community involvement to allow for the full and planned use of sporting facilities.  "Sport for All" and competitive championship sport should be seen as twin pillars of the same entity under the title of Physical Culture with the popular profit — making sports making a contribution to minor but culturally valid sporting disciplines.  All forms of discrimination in sport against women and the working class must be brought to an end through the extension of anti-discrimination legislation.  RESEARCH  Research into contemporary culture, particularly among working — class youth is ignored. The Workers' Party calls for a school of research to tackle contemporary artistic and recreational problems.  CINEMA AND VIDEO  The creation of a national film industry and the development of a video industry is culturally and economically of prime importance. The opportunities for job — creation exist in these areas yet Ireland is notorious for having the least developed film industry in all of Europe  The potential here is hopelessly under utilised. Ireland has, per capita, one of the largest cinema-going populations in the world to provide a home market and the burgeoning interest in Irish culture particularly in continental Europe would ensure a valuable export market for films and videos produced in Ireland by Irish artiste  BROADCASTING  Television and Radio, while remaining in public ownership must be expanded  * The Government should appoint a Community Radio Authority and set up locally — based boards subject to the same obligations as RTE with regard to impartiality  * The membership of the RTE authority should be drawn from a broad section of society and include directly elected representatives of RTE workers  ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE  While the National Monuments Bill has brought improvements the Office of Public Works needs far greater resources to protect our archaeological and architectural heritage for the future at a lime when it's destruction has become a major problem  There are fine examples of State involvement in conservation such as the restoration of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham but much of our heritage is still in private hands and under threat  Once again access by the public to it's own heritage should be a major criterion for any assistance given by the State towards the preservation of sites of archaeological or architectural importance  LEISURE  Even under conditions of full employment, leisure will become increasingly important. For many, particularly those living in the sprawling new suburbs, leisure facilities are minimal or even non-existent  A leisure plan should be adopted by each local authority and should be properly funded by Central Government Existing leisure resources including those under private control, should be mobilised to expand and democratise the range of leisure activities open to the public Swimming pools, Leisure centres, outdoor pursuits centres, etc should all be provided as an essential need in modem society The provision of proper public leisure facilities would greatly reduce alcohol and drugs abuse among the young and ultimately contribute to a reduction in the crime rate  An increasing danger is the exploitation of young people by a new breed of entrepreneur in the areas of leisure and recreation This party led the successful campaign for the outlawing of gaming machines in Dublin and other areas of the country, and will continue to fight against other forms of exploitation of this nature