FINE GAEL  'PUTTING THE COUNTRY FIRST'  ELECTION PROGRAMME 1989  FOREWORD  The Taoiseach has called an unnecessary General Election because he and his Government lack the imagination and the commitment to use and to channel the consensus for reform in the present Dail. It is essential, therefore, that Fianna Fail be removed from office in this election. Fine Gael will present 87 candidates - more than enough to form a resolute and effective Government.  I fully recognise the fact that it will require a major shift in political opinion to put Fine Gael into a position to form a Government. I am convinced that the political history of the last two years - indeed of the last eight years - amply justifies such a shift.  In the run-up to the 1987 General Election, Fianna Fail argued that there was no need for restrictions on public spending, that emigration could be stopped, and many other things. Fine Gael, on the other hand, told the truth.  Fianna Fail's deception got them to the point of becoming the largest party in the present Dail, and going into Government. They then attacked public spending on health, education and other essential services in a way which totally denied the basis on which they had sought electoral support.  Their attack on health services in particular, and also on education, has been crude, uncaring and damaging to the interests of the less well off in our society. Time after  time they have refused to accept responsible, effective and well thought out solutions put forward by Fine Gael. There have been cases where, by sheer persistence and sometimes with the help of other parties in opposition, Fine Gael has succeeded in diverting the Government into less damaging courses, or into constructive action. Examples are to be found in relation to pupil-teacher ratios in primary schools, provision for the National Social Services Board and the Office of the Ombudsman, the enactment of the Adoption Act and the passing of the Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Act. Without Fine Gael's commitment, these would not have happened. A sensitive, imaginative and democratic Government would not have to be brought to the point of defeat in the Dail before making such sensible decisions.  Fianna Fail have also failed to recognise the fact that Fine  Gael is prepared to be constructive on financial and budgetary policy. They refused, for example, to contemplate a simple reform in procedures for dealing with the Estimates for Public Expenditure, which would assist the Dail and the Government in ensuring that we get the best possible economic and social return for taxpayers' money.  Equally, they lacked the foresight to recognise the value of Fine Gael's Economic Development Bill, which was designed to prepare the Irish economy to take maximum benefit from EC Structural Funds, and to re-structure our economic system so as to favour growth.  Three things are clear about Fianna Fail:  they do not recognise the validity of democratic debate, but are an increasingly arrogant Government;  they have failed to understand and profit from the creative forces now at work in Irish politics as a result of Fine Gael's New Politics;  they cannot be trusted to act properly, consistently or imaginatively in the interests of the Irish people .  Fine Gael has, over the last two years, re-affirmed its qualities of democracy, imagination and trustworthiness. Fine Gael is ready to take on the responsibilities of Government creatively. This means tackling an urgent agenda of reform, including reform of:  - the tax system  - the Social Welfare system  - our economic structures  - our social structures  - our criminal law and our prison system  These reforms are means to an end. Taken together, they will make Ireland the JUST SOCIETY we want it to be.  We are ready to undertake these reforms, and many others, in an open manner, so that our people can know what is being planned on their behalf and feel confident in giving their trust back to Government.  ALAN M. DUKES, T.D.  Ceannaire  Fine Gael  Putting the Country First  INTRODUCTION  Facing the 1990's Ireland is confronted by three major political problems which prevent the State from fully meeting the needs of the Irish people in providing economic well-being and effectively harnessing their talents. These problems are, first, low economic growth, second, unemployment, poverty and disaffection, and, third, our still growing National debt. Let us deal with each of these problems in turn.  PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH  Ireland's record of economic growth since the Second World War has been one of the worst in the developed world. The failure to achieve the rates of economic growth of our competitors has had harmful effects on our living standards, on our ability to care for the poor, and on our ability to provide a full life in Ireland for those who wish to live here.  With the advent of a unified internal market within the European Community by 1992 it is imperative that the problem of our low economic growth be addressed. Fine Gael will promote economic development in the following ways:  1. Fine Gael proposes as national objective tax rates of 40% and 25%, with the objective for our first term of off1ce being to cut rates of Personal Income Taxation to 27% and 45%. (For further details of this proposal see "Taxation and P.R.S.I.").  2. Fine Gael will plan ahead for the 1992 Single Internal Market. This can be done in a number of ways:  -by promoting competition through the incorporation of E.C. competition law into domestic legislation  -by the promotion of modern Continental languages  -by cutting the cost of transport to, and within, Ireland  -by publishing a White Paper assessing the potential impact of 1992 and of CAP changes and the GATT round on our agricultural and food sectors. (For further details of our proposals in this area see - "The Single European Market")  Fine Gael regards the preparation for 1992 as a vitally urgent matter. It will therefore, within thirty days of taking office, introduce a comprehensive package of economic legislation to prepare the economy for 1992. This will include the proposals, already drafted in legal form for speedy implementation, in the Economic Development Bill 1989 published by the Party on February 2nd, 1989.  3. Fine Gael will reform Ireland's industrial policy. The focus of our industrial policy will be shift from investing in machinery to investing in people. To that end resources will be shifted from capital investment to investment in training, marketing and innovation. (For further information on our proposals in this area see - "Industry").  4. In office Fine Gael will implement its comprehensive action plan to increase beef cow numbers by 300,000 over the next four years. (For further details on our proposals in this area see -" Agriculture").  5. Fine Gael will develop our tourist industry by promoting cheaper access to Ireland from Continental Europe, by promoting specialist holidays to Ireland and by encouraging investment  in the tourist industry. (For further details of our proposals in this area see - "Tourism Policy".)  6. Fine Gael will cut costs to industry and the consumer. "The Review of Industrial Performance'  published in 1986, shows the impact of higher costs on Irish industry relative to the E.C. average.  Fine Gael proposes to cut costs in a number of ways:  -in the telecommunications field, by exposing Bord Telecom Eireann to competition and by compelling it to publish indicators of quarterly performance. (see "Telecommunications Policy")  -in the insurance area by reforming the Court system and encouraging competition. (see - "Insurance Policy")  -in the energy field by the establishment of an Energy Tariff Commission to bring energy prices down to E.C. levels within two years. (see - "Energy Policy")  Moving Towards a Just Society  Ireland is in danger of becoming a divided society. A state where those with means have no understanding of the needs and frustrations of those without means is not a community. We want to shape a society which does not fail any of its people. Far from moving towards a just society, there is a danger that rising unemployment, emigration and increased poverty are moving us towards a divided and unjust society.  Fine Gael consider the alleviation of poverty, unemployment and the divisions within our society as a major political priority. By promoting economic growth through the measures identified above, Fine Gael aims to stimulate employment thereby reducing poverty in the most effective way possible. This will not be enough. Fine Gael proposes the following additional measures:  1.We propose to move gradually towards a Basic Income Scheme. This scheme would see the replacement of basic personal tax allowances and basic welfare payments with a Personal Basic Income. In practice those earning taxable income would receive the Personal Basic Income payment in the form of a tax credit. Those not earning taxable incomes would receive the Personal Basic Income payment in the form of cash. Because the payment would be the same for all (and would not be taken away from an unemployed person once he found employment) unemployed people would have a full incentive to seek employment. For those without work the social stigma attached to unemployment and dependence on the State would be removed.  2.We will focus on people's needs and on respecting their dignity in the provision of State services. Fine Gael will do this through a number of measures:  -Fine Gael will replace all the different means tests used at present with a SINGLE ELIGIBILITY TEST (SET) based on net income. This will reduce the indignities inflicted on people who are obliged to undergo multiple means tests in order to assess their entitlement to different State benefits.  -In association with the introduction of the Single Eligibility Test, Fine Gael will shift the basis of entitlement to various State benefits to one where there is a graduated entitlement over a range of incomes (i.e., as your income rises your entitlement to benefit is gradually reduced). This will replace the present system where in crossing an income threshold all benefits are lost. This will remove poverty traps which discourage people from working harder because higher incomes would altogether disqualify them from State benefits.  -Fine Gael will to move towards a situation where all personal State benefits (such as welfare, health, etc.) are dispensed in a single location on a "One-stop-shop" basis.  -No party can ignore the present levels of emigration. Our emigrants must be catered for. Responsibility for the administration of all matters relating to emigrants will be given to a single Government Department.  -It is difficult for the long-term unemployed to move straight from unemployment into a full-time job. Temporary and part-time jobs can ease this transition. Fine Gael will therefore appoint a responsible official at each Labour Exchange to seek out such opportunities for the long-term unemployed. While in part-time jobs, the people concerned would continue to draw some State benefits. Assurances will also be given to those who take up temporary jobs that they will be quickly back on benefit.  Reducing the National Debt  The most intractable political and economic problem which has confronted Ireland over the last decade has been our National debt. At present, interest payments on the national debt absorb more than total receipts from P.A.Y.E. taxation. The resolution of the problem of our public finances is the essential key to everything that we want to do in the economic and social fields. What we want for the Irish people cannot be fully achieved until the debt problem is under control. Fine Gael, therefore, adopts the stabilisation of the ratio of our National debt to our National income as a first priority. To stop there, however, is not suff1cient. We must aim to reduce Ireland's burden of debt. To this end Fine Gael proposes to bring the Exchequer borrowing requirement down to 3% of GNP by 1993. Any expenditure commitments in this document will have to be met within this overall financial target. This will require proper planning and management of the public service, a rigorous system of expenditure control, and a policy of engaging in expenditure commitments only as the resources become available to finance them.  Income Tax and P.R.S.I.  The tax code in Ireland is a road block to growth and consequently costs us jobs.  The combined effect of PAYE and PRSI reduce the incentive to work, make it difficult for companies to hire key personnel at adequate net remuneration, and leads to the voluntary emigration of highly skilled people.  The heavy burden of PAYE and PRSI makes the provision of jobs a high cost activity. If an employer wants to increase the net pay of a person on the average industrial wage by £1 it will cost in excess of £3 gross.  Fine Gael believes that tax reform and income tax reduction are not just benefits that arise as a result of improvements in the economy. Tax reform is a prerequisite to the growth rates we require to put people back to work.  In the light of this Fine Gael is making the following proposals:  -Fine Gael in Government will reform PRSI and Income Tax  -We will abolish the Training Levy and the Health Levy  -We will abolish the Employee PRSI contribution, and the PRSI contribution paid by the self-employed  -We will introduce a levy at 5% on all income, on the same base as the Training Levy  -We will abolish the PRSI allowance.  This will reduce the burden of PRSI and Levies from seven and three quarter to five per cent on the typical worker.  Fine Gael in Government will initiate discussions with the Public Service Unions, in accordance with existing procedures, to discuss the phasing in of the levy for public servants, which is being introduced at a rate below that set by the Fianna Fail Government. The discussions will deal in particular with the additional benefits under the Social Welfare Code which will accrue to public servants, and with the mechanics of an arrangement which will relieve certain low paid civil servants from the full five percent requirement. There will also be a similar review of the situation of other low rate P.R.S.I. contributors including those who work less than 18 hours per week.  Fine Gael in Government will reduce income tax. Our principal objective is two rates of tax, 25% and 40%. This will be achieved in stages. Our objective for our first term of office will be to bring in a top rate of 45% and a standard rate of 27%, using existing income tax thresholds, i.e., the standard rate will be reduced from 32% to 27%, the higher rate from 48% to 45% and the top rate from 56% to 45%. The new standard rate of 27% will apply to that branch of taxable income at present taxed at the standard rate. All other taxable income will be taxed at 45%.  The combined effect of our income tax and PRSI proposals will not only reform the code but reduce the burden of tax on all income tax payers.  Fine Gael will launch an all-out attack on tax evasion and will in particular crack down on the "black economy".  We believe that there are large sums of "black money" (the accrued gains of tax evasion) in existence. These large amounts of "black capital" can be put to no productive use as the revelation of their existence brings enquiries from the Revenue Commissioners.  Fine Gael in Government will introduce an amnesty to allow persons to declare these capital sums. We will launch a special Government Stock which may be purchased with "black economy" capital. Those availing of the amnesty will have to forgo interest for two years. Repayment will be accompanied by an Amnesty Certificate behind which the Revenue Commissioners may not look. Persons who avail of the amnesty will be required to bring their tax affairs up to date. The Amnesty will be followed by an immediate and rigorous crackdown on the "Black Economy".  Fine Gael will eliminate Section 84 lending, and accelerated depreciation of capital allowances and will use the revenue increase resulting from the ending of Export Sales Relief in 1990 to reduce income tax. We will also commence the reduction of the top rate of Corporation Tax, currently at 43%, if the yield from these measures exceeds our costing.  Certain short-term social welfare benefits will be included as income for the purposes of calculating tax. We believe that generally speaking all income should be treated in the same way for tax purposes. This measure will reduce absenteeism from work.  It will be our objective to index income tax allowances and bands. This is a decision that will be made in the preparation of individual annual Budgets. Consequently, no figure for indexation of allowances and bands or any figure for the tax buoyancy arising from inflation, growth, or increased consumer spending is included.  At present, because increasing numbers of house holders are being caught by the Residential Property Tax, because interest rates are again moving upwards, and because increasing numbers of moderately paid persons are taking out or increasing VHI cover, Fine Gael is proposing no new property tax or any reduction in mortgage interest, VHI or insurance tax relief.  The costing of this package is included in Appendix 1.  Pay  Fine Gael will honour all pay commitments undertaken by the Government in the present pay round.  We will also honour the arrangements made for the payment of special pay claims in the Public Service which were announced recently.  Before the expiry of the present pay agreement we will enter into negotiations with the Social Partners in accordance with existing procedures with a view to agreeing a new pay agreement.  The Single European Market  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will take the following actions to prepare for 1992:  -We will promote active competition. This requires the incorporation of E.C. competition law into domestic legislation and its application to both public and private sectors. It also requires continuation of the work of the last Government in bringing down transport costs to and from Ireland.  -We will promote the learning of Continental languages by school children, students and adults. European Social Fund monies should be used to facilitate two changes. The first is a shift from concentration on French to other modern European languages. The second is a shift from written and grammar-based teaching to teaching oral skills.  -Fine Gael will assess the potential impact of 1992 on our agricultural and food sectors and publish a White Paper setting out an analysis of the issues and a Plan of Action for rural and agricultural development. We will emphasise the development of food products which have a level of consumer demand which reduces their dependence on CAP-type supports.  -It is not only in the area of agriculture that the present Government has failed to analyse the changes that have to be made in preparation for 1992. Only by timely analysis and informed public discussion will the dangers and opportunities be foreseen.  Fine Gael will therefore carry out an analysis of the impact of European development on other individual sectors of the economy. In this we will draw heavily on the expertise of organisations representing business and workers. Such organisations will have to take on an increasingly direct role in preparing the economy for the challenges ahead.  We will, as a priority, focus attention on the challenges facing the service sectors of the economy where the increased competition is likely to be most acute. We want to see Irish legal, banking and distribution services in a condition to do well out of 1992 rather than become its victims.  -We will start now on a progressive harmonisation of our indirect taxes with those of the European Community. A five year harmonisation programme will be announced in our first Budget.  -Fine Gael will push, in the negotiation for the completion of the Internal Market, for the adoption of a Community-wide Common Economic Policy. This is necessary to reap the full benefits of the Single Market. Without co-ordinated demand management at European level, much of Europe's human and material resources will remain idle.  -Fine Gael believes that Irish goods transiting through Britain to Continental Europe should never again be held to ransom, as happened during the recent British Seamen's strike. One method of meeting this need might be the establishment of an Irish Distribution and Warehousing Centre on the Continent. This could be initiated as a joint venture between major manufacturing companies, major road hauliers and the State. As the Centre would be helping a peripheral region in overcoming the diff1culties of its location, it should also receive E.C. aid and qualify for duty-free status.  -Fine Gael will give first priority, in the Public Capital Programme to the Roads Programme. This programme should be based on an objective standard of road quality. It will be administered through a National Roads Authority which will be established by statute and bring together the expertise and decision-making ability which is currently dispersed through a multitude of Local Authorities. Fine Gael will seek to extend E.C. assistance to include some of the present  county road network, much of which is in a deplorable condition.  -Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of the purity of food products. In France a system known as "Label Rouge" has been developed with Government support. For a product to obtain "Label Rouge" status, there must be independent inspections of the standards applied in both the processing plant and on all the farms from which the processor draws supplies. These products can command a price premium of up to 20% because of this system of quality assurance. Fine Gael will introduce such a system in Ireland because it provides a concerted  method of reducing an unhealthy dependence on commodity supports provided by the CAP.  -In order to avail fully of E.C. Regional Funds, Fine Gael believes that Ireland should seek to cover its entire territory with integrated regional development programmes which interlock with one another. The mechanism for the preparation of regional plans which has been chosen by the Government is grossly inadequate because of the absence of any genuine involvement of the regions concerned. Fine Gael will bring local representatives and experts directly into the process of preparing and overseeing regional development plans. We will establish Executive Regional Development Authorities as outlined in Part Five of our Policy Statement "An Economic Accord for 1992". We will also give a direct consultative role to Local Authorities as outlined in Part Six of the same document.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed policies for the Single European Market are set out in our policy document " 1992".  An Economic Accord for 1992  The aid we will get in the context of 1992 represents probably the last opportunity this century to remedy a long period of relative decline which the country has suffered by comparison with other European countries. This is in spite of the fact that many of these other countries were devastated by wars from which Ireland was spared. Our relative decline can be illustrated by expressing the income (GNP) per head of other countries as a percentage of Ireland's in the period 1913-1985:  -Norway moved from an income level of 85% of Ireland's in 1913 to 206% today; ---Finland moved from 74% of our income to 169%;  -France moved from 105% up to 172%;  -Denmark moved from 116% to 182%; and  -Austria moved from 103% to 160%.  We cannot use the excuse of British "colonialism' for this poor performance. Ireland was independent for the greater part of the period 1913 to 1985. Fine Gael believes that divisive, destructive and inconsistent politics in Ireland has contributed to our relatively poor economic performance. Political energies that should have been devoted to long-term economic development were diverted into other channels. In the early years they were devoted to constitutional questions, and in more recent times, to competitive electioneering funded by borrowing. Fine Gael wants to approach preparation for 1992 on a radically different basis. Fine Gael believes that Ireland needs an integrated economic development programme to prepare for 1992. This programme must be one which tackles all the diff1cult underlying structural defects of the Irish economy, which inhibit its full economic development. As recent experience with the public finances has shown, such radical action can more easily occur within the frame- work of a political consensus.  A recent OECD study on Innovation Policy in Ireland concluded that:  "a policy for promoting technological innovation, conducted with determination, is needed to set the country on a new path of development. Central to this policy is the formulation of a clear vision for the country as a whole".  Fine Gael fully agrees with this conclusion. Unless national resources and talent are mobilised for the achievement of a vision of the future of Ireland, our potential will remain unrealised.  The OECD concluded that a new vision for Ireland should include ambitious targets in relation to employment. The vision would be to achieve by the year 2000  -an increase in the labour force in Industry and related services by 100,000, ---doubling Ireland's share of the world market for industrial products (currently about 1%).  Fine Gael accepts that targets of this kind for the year 2000 should underlie all our preparations for 1992. Progress towards the achievement of these targets should be the criterion for measuring the success of policies. Policies which do not achieve these targets should be dropped.  A vision of this kind can be fulfilled only if public opinion is mobilised. This policy statement contains two key elements designed to achieve such a mobilisation, namely:  -getting the widest possible support from political parties and social partners for key development objectives, and  -establishing meaningful regional structures to enlist local support and initiative.  Fine Gael has considered how best to harness political and sectoral support for a concerted development programme for 1992. It has concluded that arrangements must be made at national level to involve the major political parties and social partners.  In order to prepare effectively for 1992 Fine Gael will establish in the Dail a Select Committee on 1992 consisting of twelve members, including the leaders of the political parties. This Committee will join with eight members of the N.E.S.C. to constitute a National Forum for 1992.  The N.E.S.C. representatives should be chosen as follows:  -two persons from amongst its representatives of agricultural organisations; - two persons from amongst its representatives of the C.I.I. and the F.U.E.j - two persons from amongst its representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade nions; -two persons from amongst the other N.E.S.C. members, one of whom shall be the chairman of N.E.S.C., and one of whom shall represent youth  The function of this National Forum for 1992 will include working on reports from the Government:  a)on the problems faced by Ireland in respect of harmonisation of indirect taxes which have been magnified by the mishandling of European negotiations by the Fianna Fail Government;  b)on the preparation and implementation of its plans to avail of the EC Structural funds;  c)providing Local Authorities with sufficient means of raising funds;  d)strategy to reform employment legislation, social insurance, the housing market, fiscal and regulatory burdens on small businesses, aspects of the Social Welfare Code which inhibit part time or short-term working, and all other regulations and policies which are considered by the Forum to inhibit the creation of new jobs;  e)the programmed reduction of business costs in Ireland;  f)a programme of personal and corporate tax reform designed to make it attractive for a higher proportion of Ireland's young and talented workforce to remain at work here, rather than emigrate;  g)a programme to improve the structural efficiency of the main productive sectors of the economy, and develop an integrated transport infrastructure which would reduce the cost handicaps deriving from Ireland's geographic position; the h)the social impact of the overall programme of work outlined above. Fine Gael wants to ensure that the fruits of economic development in the 1989-1992 period are used to effect a permanent improvement in the ability of disadvantaged groups in our society to participate in economic and social activity. In this context, Fine Gael recognises that unemployment and under employment constitute the most important causes of poverty in Ireland.  In respect of each of the above, the Forum will be required to set and monitor critical paths for the implementation of concrete measures on each of these headings and establish criteria and methods for the measurement of concrete results.  Industry  ANALYSIS  In the past, the major tool of industrial policy has been the system of grants for the purchase of capital assets. Our employment and development needs require us to shift from investment in physical capital to investment in human capital. To that end, resources should be shifted from grants for machines to grants for training, marketing and innovation.  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael makes the following recommendations:  1.Capital grants and capital allowances subsidise the employment of machinery while P.R.S.I. and P.A.Y.E. penalise the employment of people. The recent O.E.C.D. report on the Irish economy found that "no other O.E.C.D. country had a tax system as biased against the use of labour as the Irish". Fine Gael, in Government, will reverse this bias by amending our grants system and our corporate tax system. Payments of Capital Grants should be replaced by tax  credits to be set against the P.A.Y.E. and P.R.S.I. costs of employing workers. This will ensure that firms get support only when they actually employ people. 2.Companies should be encouraged to have share schemes available for all their employees. This will be done by increasing the tax relief on dividends for manufacturing companies which have such schemes and decreasing it for those w.ho don't.  3.The definition of "novelty" required to qualify for a patent should be re-examined. This could allow Irish innovation to get protection for new products. The logjam in the Patents Office will be cleared.  4.The National Development Corporation will be asked to introduce a system of royalty funding for innovation. This will supplement the assistance it already provides in the form of equity.  5.Fine Gael will examine ways in which people made redundant can re-enter the work force. FAS is providing certain opportunities. Help with training outside State Agencies will also be considered by way of Transferable Training Allowances.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed proposals for Industrial Policy are set out in our Policy documents "Industry and Jobs" and "1992".  Agriculture  ANALYSIS  Ireland depends far more than any other F.C country on agriculture for employment. The Commission has accepted that post-1992 Irish farmers will lose out substantially with the community strategy to 'move common prices closer to underlying market prices". There is no other community country in which the income of agricultural producers represents such a large proportion of the total national income as in Ireland. Fine Gael will vigorously defend and promote the interests of Irish agriculture, especially in the areas where we can claim natural advantage. Fine Gael believes that a White Paper is urgently needed to analyse the implications of Community policy on farm and food industry incomes here.  Disease Eradication  We recognise the urgent need for a realistic increase in the payment of grants for reactor compensation.  We will implement immediately a system of up to £400 for a cow and in-calf heifer and pro-rata increases for all others.  Epidemiology: Fine Gael will extend the T.B. investigation unit's brief to include cost benefit analysis.  (Fine Gael's detailed proposals for the eradication of Bovine T.B. are set out in our policy document "Bovine T.B. Eradication" published in September 1987).  Grain  Fine Gael supports a system of supply management under regional quotas and we will pursue a policy in Brussels to ensure that imports of cereal substitutes do not discriminate against Irish grain producers. We support the immediate removal of the co-responsibility levy pending a full review of the cereals regime.  Dairying  Fine Gael will ensure that the protocol achieved by Austin Deasy that Ireland would get preferential treatment for any additional community quota be delivered on and this quota to be directed as a priority to dairy farmers under 30,()1)0 gallons. We are committed to investigating the Danish system of handling quotas or entitlement to produce milk, which would ensure that those committed to dairying but with unviable quotas, will have a chance, at no extra cost, of increasing their output.  Beef  Since 1984 dairy cow numbers have fallen by over l00,000. A further drop is expected as farmers continue to adjust to quotas and to increased efficiency in production. As the calf from the dairy cow has been the traditional raw material for our beef industry, a crisis is looming unless we implement a comprehensive action plan to increase beef cow numbers by over 300,000 over the next few years.  Fine Gael will relax restrictions under the grant scheme for beef cows in relation to part-time farmers and to the grants payable per farm and per forage hectare.  The experience of previous expansions of the beef herd is that a situation of chronic under-supply can be transformed to one of chronic over-supply.  Fine Gael will consult with the farmers, processors and others in monitoring the situation in order to avoid such occurence and all incentives will be modified accordingly.  Fine Gael will amend the stock relief provisions of the income tax code to encourage farmers to increase their beef cow numbers. Stock relief for additional beef cows will be increased from 110 to 125 per cent. Unused stock relief in respect of beef cows will be carried forward for up to three years. Improved financing arrangements for borrowing for expansion of beef cows will be sought by Fine Gael in Government.  Measures to improve on-farm efficiency and profit margins will be introduced and expanded. These include:  -use of once-bred heifers to expand calf supply  -research into twinning in cattle  -an annual review by the Government agencies of the degree to which food processors, who have been in receipt of state assistance, meet their commitment in relation to employment expansion and the increase in value-added stock.  Fine Gael will re-structure EC and national support to the beef industry to resolve the acute seasonality problem and to improve the margins for our winter fatteners.  Fine Gael's detailed proposals for the beef industry are set out in our policy document 'Securing a Future for the Beef Industry" which was published in March 1988).  Drainage  Fine Gael will endeavour to have field drainage grants re-introduced under the Western Package.  Disadvantaged Areas  Fine Gael's policy, which we will pursue vigorously in Brussels, is to re-classify areas already designated as disadvantaged to "more severely handicapped' status and to re-classify the rest of the country with "less severely handicapped" status. As Ireland is included as one of the most peripheral regions within Brussels for the purposes of Structural Funds, headage payments would be the most satisfactory method of ensuring that compensation is paid from the FEOGA Guidance Fund, for the reduction in price supports under the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. This form of income support, dispersed through the system of headage payments, will not discourage increased productivity.  FINE GAEL WILL ABOLISH OFF-FARM INCOME LIMITS FOR HEADAGE PAYMENTS.  There should be no off-farm income limit on headage payments, either for the farmer or his spouse. Fine Gael will abolish the present restrictions and thereby ensure that the part-time farmer will have a major role to play in the future of rural development and in stabilising populations in remoter areas of our country. Off-farm incomes have been the lifeline to many a small family farm and but for them our emigration figures would be doubled.  Agri-tourism  Fine Gael recognises the enormous potential in tourism. 0.2 per cent of farms in Ireland are involved in farmhouse holidays compared to 10 per cent in the U.K. and 20 per cent in Germany. Agri-tourism is a viable alternative source of income and it promotes the social and economic cohesion as aspired to in the S.E.A. as it re-distributes income from the more well-off in our towns and cities to the less-well off in the remoter parts of rural Ireland. Agri-tourism can make a major contribution to rural development. Fine Gael will continue the scheme of grant-aid at 50 per cent for the establishment of activity based facilities and of 20 per cent for farmhouse visitor accommodation.  We will encourage group developments in local comn1unities offering farm tourism packages and structure the grant-aid accordingly. We recognise the huge difficulty in relation to public liability insurance for the farmhouse holiday sector and our proposals to get the Law Reform Commission to examine the major difficulties being created by insurance liability and to submit a draft bill to us in government within six months should resolve this situation. We will encourage the establishment of agri-touriam producer groups for arranging tourist packages, for marketing and to develop agri-tourism as a branded product.  Land Policy  Fine Gael will ensure that the expertise and human resources within the Land Commission, now dissolved, will not be disseminated. We will establish a unit within the Department of Agriculture to continue:  1.Commonage division  2.Group purchasing  3.Long-term leasing, including tax concessions to encourage same  4.Distributive re-arrangement viz. the re-arrangement of fragmented farms, which restrict and limit output, into more compact units  5.We will abolish the need for consent for sub-divisions on short-term leases (quotas, etc.) and introduce a general consent  6.We will endeavour to re-introduce support for agricultural drainage under the Western Package.  Teagasc  Fine Gael will ensure that the funding of TEAGASC will be structured in such a way to ensure its service is given to those farmers most in need of advice, and that it will continue the level of research on primary agricultural production, processing and downstream activities as is necessary to ensure that agriculture and the agricultural food business continues to make an increasing contribution to the wealth of our country.  Pigs  Fine Gael supports the importation of high genetic merit foundation stock. We will give priority to the co-ordination and promotion of marketing and distribution of pigs and pig-meat. We will also support the formation of producer groups in the pig production industry. (Our "Pigs for Europe" policy gives full details).  Slaughter Houses  We will immediately enforce the Abattoirs Act and the regulations that accompany it.  Pollution  Fine Gael recognises that it is in the interest of Irish farmers and agriculture to protect the environment, particularly our inland waters. We actively support "environmentally friendly farm practices" and the designation of I environmentally Sensitive Areas. We recognise the strides that have been made by most farmers in recent years to ensure that intensive farming does not damage our environment and we will continue to give farmers all the help and support they need to remove all possible risks to our environment in the future. We have proposed a comprehensive series of amendments to the Water Pollution Bill to ensure that we have a modern legal framework to pre vent water pollution but also to ensure that the Bill will not be unnecessarily oppressive in the manner in which it affects the farming community. We will amend the Bill to ensure a proper balance is struck and that it is only enacted in tandem with the higher rate of pollution control grants extended to the entire country  Bloodstock Industry  Fine Gael will reduce off-course betting tax to 7.5 percent and impose a one per cent levy on of course bookmakers to fund the development of Irish racecourses and increase stakes.  Fraud Investigation  Fine Gael will establish an independent agency under the Department of Agriculture to take responsibility for the enforcement of the law in regard to Reef Intervention, APS and Export Refunds. There must be equality before the law. There must be no suggestion that anybody can be protected from the rigours of the law by the Minister for Agriculture or any politician.  Insurance  Fine Gael will request the Law Reform Commission to examine the huge dif1culties and problems in the area of public liability insurance and agriculture, and request a draft Bill from them within six months to resolve the difficulties.  Marketing  European consumers are becoming more and more conscious of the purity of the different types of food products. To capitalise on the image of Ireland as a producer of food in a good clean physical environment, Fine Gael will immediately introduce a system of quality assurance for our food pro ducts to ensure that they can command a premium price on the supermarket shelves of Europe - viz. the "Green Label". To ensure continuity of supply of agricultural goods and to protect against the uncertainties of markets, Fine Gael in government will require NADCORP to fulfil its specific statutory provision of encouraging such long-term production contracts with processors.  Horticulture Fine Gael proposes:  -to expand the horticulture producer groups set up by Fine Gael in 1984 and to widen the scope to include potatoes and amenity horticulture  -to develop a farmer controlled marketing agency to counter the present monopoly situation  -to expand vegetable processing to the traditional tillage areas of Leinster, in line with the successful Cork operation.  -to establish a major potato processing unit to counter the present £40m imports of potato chips with the help of a restored TEAGASC advisory service, to develop organic farming.  Non-Thoroughbred Horse Industry  Fine Gael is committed to a programme of positive action to ensure an increase in our pool of I.H.R. mares. We will extend the payment of headage grants for mares and a system of foal premia to the entire country.  Poultry  Fine Gael will urgently address the problems and potential of this the fastest expanding sector o the meat industry.  Sheep  The high quality lean carcass cross-bred and the carcass grading system was established by Fine Gael in Government. We will continue to improve and build on our quality image on the export markets .  We will strenuously promote sheep production, processing and marketing, recognising the value of sheep as an alternate farm enterprise as yet unrestricted by EC production controls.  We will rigorously enforce the Dog Control Act enacted by Fine Gael in Government.  Fine Gael will support the restoration of a thriving indigenous wool industry to respond to the increased international demand for wool products.  REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT  As outlined in Fine Gael's policy for an "Economic Accord for 1992", Regional Development Authorities will be established in each of the regions with a brief to implement the operations programmes under the EC Structural Funds. These Authorities will have functions similar to those of SFADCO, namely to develop and encourage small indigenous industry, traded services and tourism. The Regional Development Authorities will be financed by grant-aid from government and local contributions from local authorities. The concept of R.D.A.'s has been approved by the European Parliament in its debate on the Hume Report on the regional problems of Ireland. As part of this process, county councils will have the role of holding annual hearings at county level to interview the R.D.A. and interest groups on the progress of the Plan at county level.  Marine Policy  ANALYSIS  On coming to office in 1987 Fianna Fail established a new Government Department, namely the Department of the Marine. They promised "to exploit the potential of our marine, and marine related resources, to the full, providing at least 20,000 jobs". The Department has failed on all fronts. No additional jobs have been created, the contrary is the case. Through a series of bad decisions, incompetent negotiations, and lack of direction, this Government has set back marine development to a state of crisis. Fianna Fail has reneged on its promises in the case of marine development.  JOBS  1. Sea Fisheries: Fine Gael is committed to creating a climate where positive expansion can take place in the area of sea fisheries. This will be done by:  a)Preparing a special case for the Irish fishing industry for increased quotas in mackerel and herring catches. Fine Gael will send a strong negotiating team to the EC to re-negotiate the disastrous outcome of the Fianna Fail Government's agreements in Europe.  b)Fine Gael is committed to using its skills to secure a reversal of the disastrous agreement made by the Government in reducing our fishing fleet from 66,000 g.r.t. to 44,000 g.r.t. Fine Gael is seriously concerned that if this requirement is implemented over 1,000 jobs could be lost in sea fishing over the next few years. Fine Gael is committed to the improvement and expansion of our fishing fleet. Jobs can only be created if a positive, developmental, expansionist policy is pursued in this area of fisheries.  c)Fine Gael believes a vigorous marketing strategy is essential, and B.I.M. will be encouraged to give a new momentum to securing more extensive and widespread markets for Irish fish products.  2. Inland Fisheries: Fine Gael, on assuming office, will resolve the Rod Licence Dispute by introducing an amendment to the 1987 Fisheries Act. This amendment will be based on the formulae worked out with the anglers and other interests, which is now Fine Gael Party policy. The licence for coarse and trout angling will be removed, and replaced by a "development contribution" based on the fishing clubs for development work done by the Fishery Boards. There will be an individual contribution by anglers who are not members of clubs.  Fine Gael recognises the importance of inland fisheries to the economy of the country. We believe a proper co-ordinated Inland Fisheries plan must be put into place in order to maximise the tourist potential of this resource. Fine Gael will request Bord Failte to undertake a special "Irish Angling Holiday" promotion in order to undo the serious damage done abroad by the Rod Licence dispute.  1992  i)Fine Gael, recognising that we are the only country within the EC who will not have direct land access to Europe by 1992, will give priority to ensuring properly co-ordinated port development. Priority will be given to ensure that there is quick and efficient surface transportation of our exports to the European mainland. The establishment of Port Authorities will be necessary in some cases.  ii)Fine Gael will continue to implement its policy on the expansion and development of the Irish Merchant fleet by providing incentives to those who involve themselves in such developments Fine Gael will increase the qualifying ceiling under the Business Expansion Scheme to £6m for investment in shipping.  Recreational Facilities  Fine Gael believes that many of our marine recreational assets are under-utilised. Fine Gael will monitor and encourage development of marine related sport and recreational facilities, e.g., marinas, cruising and water-skiing.  Marine Research  Fine Gael realises that research is essential if an industry is to develop successfully. On assuming off1ce, we will set about establishing a Marine Research and Technology Centre by entering into discussions with the private sector, universities and the Department of the Marine. This Centre should do the much needed research into fish farming, use of chemicals, etc., and should encourage the utilisation of modern technology to communicate its findings and other relevant information to the various fishing interests.  West Coast Search and Rescue Service  Fine Gael is very concerned by the many tragedies and loss of life which have occurred off the West Coast of Ireland. Fine Gael will provide a long-range helicopter with a capacity to take on board a large number of persons. Fine Gael believes that because of the huge expense involved the helicopter should be leased from the private sector. This is commonly done in other European countries. This helicopter should be based at Shannon Airport. Fine Gael is of the considered opinion that the strategic location of Shannon will provide a much improved service to fisherman and islanders of the West Coast.  Forestry Policy  Fine Gael will establish a market led Forestry industry which has exceptional potential due to the increased attention from the private sector. Our policy would encourage more investment by set ting up a positive market for selling mature timber. Coillte Teoranta will play an important role in this development. The EC proposals for forestry development with its emphasis on combining recreational pursuits at forestry locations will be vigorously implemented. This will create many jobs for small farmers and their families.  Tourism Policy  ANALYSIS  The performance of Irish tourism has failed to match that of our competitors in the recent past. There are a number of reasons for this. First, in a number of important respects, Ireland is not price competitive. Second, the marketing of Irish tourism is deficient. Third, the Irish tourism pro duct is deficient compared with that of our competitors in terms of range, standards and facilities. These deficiencies have been identified in the Price Waterhouse and Irish Tourism Industry Confederation reports.  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will implement the following policies:  1.Air fares between Ireland and the Continent will be cut by breaking up route-sharing arrangements and by bringing in new carriers.  2.Fine Gael will ensure increased investment in tourism. Substantial amounts of private funds can be obtained for investment in tourism by actively promoting the business development scheme tax concessions tourism projects. Funds from overseas can also be obtained. To attract such funds Fine Gael proposes to give the I.I).A. International Services Division responsibility for bringing international tourist industry projects into Ireland.  3.Fine Gael will encourage investment in activities and facilities which extend the season, and which can be enjoyed in all types of weather conditions. Folkparks, museums, specialised sports facilities, restored buildings and re-construction of aspects of Irish history and culture, are all examples of such facilities. Assistance from E.C. Structural Funds will be sought for this purpose, as a high priority.  4.Fine Gael will re-organise the involvement of the State in tourism. The amalgamation of Bord Failte and CRT will b e considered. All general advertising of Ireland by Bord Failte will be scrapped. The concentration will instead be on advertising specific tourist products (such as angling holidays, sports holidays, heritage holidays, summer schools, etc.).  5.Fine Gael will, following taking office, publish an Action Plan for the implementation of each recommendation in the Price Waterhouse Report. Such a plan would give deadlines for decisions, implementation and completion in respect of the recommendations made in that Report.  6.Fine Gael recognises the vital importance of angling to Irish tourism. I deplores the mishandling of the rod licence issue by the present Government, and the damage this has done to Irish tourism. In view of this Fine Gael, on assuming office, will resolve the Rod Licence dispute by introducing an amendment to the 1987 Fisheries Act. This amendment will he based on the formulae worked out with the anglers and other interests, which is now Fine Gael Gael Party policy. Th licence for coarse and trout angling will be removed, and replaced by a "development contribution" based on the fishing clubs for development work done by the Fishery Boards. There will he an individual contribution by anglers who are not members of clubs.  Telecommunications Policy and Consumers  ANALYSIS  Now that Bord Telecom is making a profit the time has come to improve the responsiveness of the company to customer needs and complaints. The problems that cause most frequent complaint are:  -charges are 60% higher than in other E.C. countries  -a very high level of complaints continue to be made to the Ombudsman about over-charging - frustration with the service from public phone boxes  -slow responses to breakdowns, applications for new service, etc.  PROPOSALS  Fine Gael will make the following changes:  1.Telecom Eireann's total exemption from liability for its service will be ended. The Company will be liable if the quality of its workmanship falls short, or if there are serious lapses of service  2.The company will be required to draw up a service agreement and a code of practice setting out the standard of service which customers may expect and the procedures for resolving Complaints.  3.The company will be obliged to publish a quarterly report on the key indicators of quality of service to the customer (including delays, faults, complaints, level of charges and the condition of public phone boxes).  4.The Ombudsman will be allowed to levy part of the cost of investigating complaints against the company.  Telecommunications and Jobs  Telecommunications is fast becoming the nervous system of modern business. It plays a key in the critical business functions of Finance, Marketing and Research. The location of these service functions overseas has long been the Achilles Heel of Irish industrial development. Modern technology means that the location of these activities is now more and more determined by availability of qualified personnel, and b key cost factors rather than by national boundaries. major factor is a cost-effective communications network. A communications sector capable of creating opportunities in the. Single European Market will be a key element in our preparations for 1992. At present the Irish communications sector is imposing severe cost handicaps on the economy estimated at £200m compared to average EC prices. - Average phone charges are 60(7o dearer the EC average - Average postal charges are 25%dearer than the EC average. The Telecommunications industry in Europe is experiencing explosive growth. The EC plans a single market on Telecommunications by 1992. y the end of the century the sector will have grown from 2% of Europe output to 7%. Ire1and has spent £2,000m building up one of the most modern networks in Europe. There is a clear opportunity for Ireland to capitalise on this lead. However, it will take a radical shift in current policy.  This sector represents one of Ireland's greatest opportunities for employment creation in the coming years. By adopting an aggressive approach to the development of this industry, Ireland can become a major hub through which a substantial part of the European Telecommunications industry be routed. Fine Gael is targeting the sector as one capable of producing l,000 jobs over the ten years. Man more spin-off jobs will cn1erge in industries availing of radically improved services to give them a competitive edge in exporting.  PROPOSALS  I)An International Telecommunications Service Centre will be established. It builds on the concept of the Financial Services Centre.  The major elements that would underpin the Centre are:  -internationally traded services from the Centre would qualify for 10% Corporation Tax Status  -Telecom Eireann would provide Special Service Agreements with businesses in the Centre guaranteeing  *connection of services on demand  *charges at rates designed to clearly beat the European competition  *high quality service, with periodic reviews and refunds for failings  -The Centre would be equipped with the modern Integrated Services Digital Network  -The Centre would be a freeport for Telecommunication Services, free of the sort of restrictions that characterise the European Market.  The aim would be to attract specialist telecommunication-based industries to Ireland. This is a big growth sector. It includes, for example, Telephone Sales Organisations (e.g., Car Hire, Flight and Hotel Booking, Freephone networks, etc.) Information Trading Companies (Market Reports, Product Information, etc.) and Value Added Network Services (VANS) which are essentially a development of computer operations based on phone links, and can offer an enormous range of services (e.g., automatic stock control, book-keeping teletranslation, distance education, etc.).  2)Telecom Eireann will provide dramatic cuts in international phone rates for business users to selected destinations for experimental periods. This will be part of a concerted export drive carried out in combination with CTT. It will be targetted initially on Germany and Denmark.  3)Telecom Eireann will immediately introduce a competitively priced direct-dial Freephone service to give new impetus to Ireland's export effort.  4)Telecom Eireann will rapidly develop and market particular services that allow business to develop new markets in a cost effective manner. Funds from the EC Star Programme will be concentrated on this task. The key services would include:  *Advanced data transmission services (including ISDN)  *A telephone cost analysis service  *Direct Inward Dialling Systems, Call Authorisation Codes and other time and cost saving aids possible on the digital network.  5)Subject to satisfactory protection of confidentiality, Telecom Eireann will provide a data bank of telephone numbers regularly in contact with Ireland as the basis for a major telephone drive for Tourism.  6)Telecom will be given a clear mandate to develop new services. A new emphasis will be placed on joint ventures with outside partners, who can bring fresh ideas into Telecom's ventures. In particular, Telecom Eireann's Articles of Association will be amended to permit the Company enter the Cable Television Industry. It is important that there be outside partners in such a venture, because this network is a competitive source of telecommunication services in the long-term .  7)Competition will be introduced for telecommunication services other than pure voice telephone service, and Telecom Eireann will cease to be the licencing authority for its competitors on the home market.  8)Telecom will be required to establish its activities in the competitive areas of its business as clear arm's length subsidiaries, which would not benefit from any cross subsidisation from its monopoly services.  9)A strengthened Fair Trading Commission will be charged with the task of creating competitive conditions in Irish Telecommunications, in relation to:  *the level and structure of prices  *the quality of service to the customer, and  *fair trading conditions in the market.  It is important that these tasks be carried out by a body with true independence.  10) Consumers will gain the protection of a service agreement which would provide compensation in cases of serious lapse of service, and a procedure for resolving disputes (including those about bills). The consumer will also be given the right of ultimate redress under Consumer Law. This programme will radically shift the orientation of Ireland's Telecommunications sector. It will extract the maximum national benefit from the network. The proposals will n( t impose heavy costs on Telecom Eireann. The price cuts have been chosen specifically to exploit lightly used sections of the network where the cost of extra traf1c is small. However, an amount from the industrial development budget will be set aside as a contingency to meet any costs not covered by the extra business generated.  Insurance Policy  ANALYSIS  Fine Gael is deeply concerned at the high cost of insurance in Ireland. It is a heavy burden for motorists, especially for young drivers. It is also a heavy burden for employers. Fine Gael is determined to bring under control factors which have contributed to the high and escalating costs of insurance in Ireland.  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will make changes under the following headings:  1.The reform of the Court system  -introduce a Book of Quantum damages  -reduce Court costs by the introduction of pre-trial procedures  -reduce delays in hearing cases by the appointment of additional High Court Judges  2.The improvement of Road Safety  -investigate the introduction of a "restricted driving" system for newly qualified drivers as is done in the United Kingdom  -on-the-spot fines for non-use of seat belts  -uninsured motor cars will be impounded  -drivers will be automatically re-tested after conviction for drunk or dangerous driving  3. Reform within the Insurance Industry  -Introduce an immediate code of practice to prevent insurance companies failing to meet claims on trivial grounds.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed policies for Insurance are set out in our Policy document "Insurance Costs"  Energy Policy  ANALYSIS  Energy is vital to our economic performance. Despite this, Ireland has no integrated policy for energy. Thus, the Irish consumer pays the highest price for energy in Europe. Opportunities to develop indigenous resources and to conserve energy by better technology have not been developed and Ireland remains dangerously exposed to nuclear hazard. Ireland spends almost £3000m on energy each year. This is 17% of national income. Despite this, Ireland has still not evolved a proper energy policy.  The symptoms are to be seen in our high energy costs, in our wasteful use of energy, in our idle generation capacity, in our urban pollution problems. For example,  -Ireland currently pays £150m more for oil, gas and electricity than if they were competitive with average EC prices. In the case of petrol and motor diesel, we pay 25% higher prices (tax excluded) than in Europe.  -Ireland uses 25% more energy per pound (£) of industrial output than in Europe.  These higher costs are sacrificing jobs. Fine Gael has published a comprehensive strategy to tackle our energy problems.  PROPOSALS  *An Energy Commission will be established with the aim of bringing down Irish energy prices to EC levels within 2 years.  *Vigorous action will be taken against restrictive practices that are keeping up domestic energy prices .  *Specific action in the petrol market will include:  -Enforcing a Maximum Retail price in the interim while competition in the market is stimulated  -Introducing a new obligation on petrol retailers to display their prices, and rigorously enforcing it, by closing down outlets if necessary  -Actively attracting new competitive entrants into the market place by removing major barriers to entry now operated  *A new mandate with competitive pressure to perform will be given to the state energy companies, who are currently yielding less than l% return on the £2,000m invested in them. Specific action will include:  -Removing the ESB Monopoly to supply electricity  -Privatising certain established ancillary activities of state energy companies, and using the funds to invest in new commercial job creation activities  -subcontracting selected activities of the state energy companies  *To widen energy options for Ireland, priority will be given to:  -establishing the feasability of gas and electricity connectors with either continental Europe or with the UK  -establishing a firm plan for the future of Whitegate/Whiddy, which will stand the test of time, and end the situation where they have been used as political playthings with on-again off-again deals  PROTECTION FROM RADIATION  This Government's cynical approach to the public's well grounded fears about radiation is a disgrace. More than 3 years after Chernobyl, which rocked the world, the government has not delivered on any of its promises.  -there is no Emergency Plan to respond to an accident  -there is no Early Warning System that would allow us react in time to an accident  -there is no Radiological Protection Institute to co-ordinate our technical efforts  -the legal action promised against Britain about the operation of Sellafield has not been taken  While the Minister for Energy is first into print when there is a lapse in radiation protection systems overseas, he has done nothing about it, and he has left the Irish people wholly unprotected. Fine Gael believes Ireland should become an international pioneer of protection of the public and the environment from nuclear hazard.  -Legal action will be taken to enforce Ireland's genuine safety concerns about the operation of Britain's nuclear industry.  -A National Radiological Protection Institute will be established and given a status independent of government in advising on the health and environmental hazards of radiation of all sorts. It will report to the Minister for the Environment.  -Annual Reports on the capability to deal with a radiation emergency will ensure that plans are kept up to date and tested.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed policies are set out in our Policy document "White Paper on Energy".  Energy Conservation  Importance of Conservation  Conservation of Energy is a critical dimension of a proper energy policy for Ireland. There are two prongs to successful energy conservation. T he first is using energy more efficiently. The second is becoming more self-suff1cient especially by developing energy sources that are renewable to replace those that deplete the earth's scarce fossil fuels.  Conservation has a vital bearing on economic security and cost competitiveness here in Ireland. There is also growing evidence that profligate use of energy is putting a serious strain on the world environment. Over extraction of resources, and pollution from the various by-products of energy use are upsetting the balance of nature. An effective conservation policy will contribute to achieving a balanced and just world.  The need for an effective energy conservation policy has been grossly neglected by the government. The EC Commission has stated that 20% of energy usage can be saved by the year 2000 by applying known technologies that show a fast economic return. On present weak policies, less than half of this potential will be realised. Fine Gael has set out a planned and sustained approach over 10 years to meet this target. The main elements in the 10 year programme are:  Introduce the EC-backed mobile Energy Bus to provide an audit of energy use for business and public authorities.  *Promote Energy Saving Companies, as developed in the U.S., with Business Expansion Scheme tax relief for initial capital.  *District Heating proposals (which can cut fuel use by one-third) for targeted new housing areas.  *Expand Combined Heat and Power by making radical changes in the E.S.B.'s buy-in and pricing  policies, and by developing uses for the waste heat from E.S.B. generators.  *Encourage energy saving in public buildings by allowing public bodies retain half the savings achieved against their baseline energy budget.  *Install computerised traffic controls in our cities.  *Introduce compulsory labelling of fuel efficiency for vehicles and equipment.  *Pilot a scheme successfully developed in Denmark to certify the energy consumption of houses being put up for sale, to focus attention on energy saving opportunities.  Co-ordination and rigorous evaluation of this 10-year programme will be carried out by a Conservation Unit, reporting annually to the Dail.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed policy for Energy Conservation is set out in "A Programme for Energy Conservation ".  Industrial Relations Policy  ANALYSIS  The legal basis for much of Irish industrial relations practice is the 1906 Trade Disputes Act Gael believes that the time has come to update the law and set out the direction of future practice. We believe that a rational and fair code of practice will substantially improve the present situation.  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will make the following changes:  1.In the light of the extensive discussions with the Social Partners, a new Trade Disputes Act will be enacted so as to modernise industrial relations law. 2.The new Act will define the circumstances for resort to industrial action. The following sequential steps should be required before industrial action can take place:  -direct discussion between the parties to the dispute  -conciliation  -dispute adjudication  -secret ballot  -authorisation of industrial action  -notice of industrial action  3.Strikes to pursue inter-union disputes should be denied the benefit of existing legal immunities under the Trade Disputes Act (1906). These disputes should be resolved either through the Disputes Committee of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions or through the Labour  4.In industrial relations it is particularly important to hear both sides of a case. Accordingly, rules of Court will be drafted to provide that, save in the most exceptional circumstances, injunctions will not be granted on an ex-parti basis in industrial relations matters.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed proposals for Industrial Relations are set out in our policy document 'Industrial Relations Reform'.  Institutional Reform  ANALYSIS  Given the enormous role the Public Service plays in Irish life today it is vital that it operate efficiently and effectively. It is clear that the reforms announced in the Government White Paper "Serving the Public Better" (introduced when Fine Gael was last in Government) have not been implemented with suff1cient vigour or energy.  GENERAL POLICY Fine Gael will make the following changes:  1. Fine Gael believes that the sale of shares in semi-state bodies would be beneficial once proper groundwork for such a move has been laid. It could be beneficial in the following ways:  *It can strengthen the capital base of the company, thereby facilitating investment an expansion  *It can involve employees directly in the success of the company through share ownership  *It can sharpen the commercial management of the company  *It can open up the opportunity of joint ventures in new commercial fields  At the present time it is necessary to sell shares because the government is unable to provide the funds for the vital expansion plans in companies like Aer Lingus and Irish Life.  Fine Gael will immediately put in train the necessary preparations to sell shares in appropriate companies. The key elements in that preparation will be:  1.A clear definition of the social objectives which the company must continue to pursue and the basis on which any new commercial costs involved could be funded 2.The terms of a Golden Share Mechanism whereby the state could guarantee the protection of certain strategic national interests  3.Establishment of a system for ensuring that the market power of the companies is not used against the consumer's interest or fair competition  4. Putting the company in such a position of efficiency and profitability, prior to the disposal of shares, that the shares will realise their full potential value for the taxpayer  The proceeds of such share sales will be used to strengthen the capital base of the company or to reduce the debt, either of the company itself or of the State. They will not be used for current Budget purposes. Shares will be made available on preferential terms to the employees of the companies concerned. The size of the continuing State holding in any company will be a pragmatic commercial consideration The important purpose is to achieve an incentive structure  for key decision makers within the company which will maximise its commercial and the financial returns to the company itself, its employees, the Exchequer and its customers.  Fine Gael welcomes the policy statement of the Irish Association of Pension Funds which suggests that they, in particular, might wish to become involved in taking shares in some of the bodies named above. Pension funds, which represent the savings of Irish workers will be particularly useful co-owners in important Irish state companies.  3.Competition will be used in order to reduce the cost of services provided by the Public Service. Competition between public and private sectors can be promoted by competitive tendering for services currently provided by the public sector alone. Competition can also be fostered within the Public Service by comparing efficiency measures of different Public sector institutions (e.g.  different hospitals can be compared on the basis of the cost of providing a given service to their patients).  4.Fine Gael will encourage enterprise and excellence within the Public Service by abolishing excessive restrictions on salaries.  5.The Civil Service reforms heralded by the Government White Paper "Serving the Public Better" will be implemented with vigour. The following reforms, in particular, will be advanced:  -Responsibility for specific functions must be allocated to specific individuals and they will then be held responsible for the performance of those functions  -Decision-making and responsibility will be de-centralised both on a geographical basis and downwards in the Public Service structure  -Performance appraisal will be introduced so that those working within the Public Service can be promoted and remunerated on the basis of their performance -Mobility between Departments and rotation within Departments will be encouraged in order to make Civil Service careers more interesting and to encourage innovation within the Public Service  -Civil Servants should receive at least one week's training per year in order to update their skills and train them to meet fresh challenges.  6.Fine Gael believes there should be a mechanism to check the cost and consistency of promises made by parties at elections. Fine Gael in Government has offered the services of the Department of Finance to other parties for the costing of future election programmes, and will do so again.  Environment  ANALYSIS  We need a national environmental plan to provide a coherent framework for all the components of our environment. The first premise should be that economic development and progress are not in conflict with the preservation and enhancement of the environment. We must recognise that the cost of solving problems after they have occurred is always greater than preventing the creation of the problem in the first place.  As part of a coherent environment policy Fine Gael will get rid of the present fragmented approach arising from different Ministers having a variety of different responsibilities in the environmental area. For example, there is a confusion of responsibility as between the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for the Marine as to who is primarily concerned with ensuring that water pollution, be it river or sea pollution, does not damage our fish stocks. The responsibility for national parks and wildlife service, a very definite environmental matter, currently rests with the Office of Public Works. The question of pollution in the Irish Sea and Ministerial responsibility in this area, very recently was seen to be a source of continuing confusion to the present Government when a Dail Question put to the Minister for the Environment, relating to a proposal by the British Authorities to dump and store nuclear waste in caverns constructed in the Irish Sea adjacent to Sellafield, was transferred for answer by the Government from the Minister for the Environment to the Minister for the Marine before being finally transferred to the Minister for Energy for reply.  Fine Gael will ensure that all major aspects of environmental protection and nature conservation will be the responsibility of a single government department with a single minister in charge. This is an essential prerequisite to the effective implementation of a policy for the environment.  This change would also require the imposition on local authorities, within a reformed local government structure, of a positive duty to take all necessary steps to protect the environment and to protect wildlife. Every local authority would also be made strictly responsible for its own actions. For example, if a local authority pollutes a river and damages fish stock, the local authority should be strictly responsible for cleaning up the river and replacing any lost fish stock.  Where major planning applications are made requiring environmental impact assessment, local authorities should have made available to them the necessary expertise to determine the environmental impact of any proposed development properly. Where planning permissions are granted subject to environmental monitoring, local authorities should have the resources and expertise to carry out such monitoring. This is essential if the public is to have confidence in the enforcement by local authorities of conditions prescribed to protect the environment and the public when planning permissions are granted for controversial industrial, chemical or pharmaceutical developments.  WITH REGARD TO THE IRISH SEA FINE GAEL WILL INITIATE A JOINT APPROACH BY THE BRITISH AND IRISH GOVERNMENTS TO:  1)assess the present level of pollution accurately, and  2)devise and implement the necessary measures to control and ultimately eliminate waste discharge into the sea.  FINE GAEL WILL IMPLEMENT A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN WHICH WILL INCORPORATE: a)plans for clean air and water  b)the elimination of the use of CFC's and leaded petrol and introduction of labelling to identify environmentally friendly products  c)freedom from litter  d)elimination of urban dereliction and provision for urban conservation  e)preservation and enhancement of wildlife and nature conservation  f)environmental assessment of major planning applications and proper monitoring of mining, chemical, pharmaceutical and other industrial activities  g)major initiative in the area of environmental education aimed at schools, colleges and the general public  h)the establishment of a properly constituted national body which can monitor, evaluate and advise on environmental matters and which is independent of the Department of the Environment and local authorities. No such body has existed since the Government's abolition of An Foras Forbartha, the abolition of which deprived members of the Oireachtas, local authorities, community groups and the general public of a valuable source of independent and comprehensive, scientific advice on environmental issues.  i)a new Planning Act to reform planning laws comprehensively and tackle the problem of un justified compensation awards and the failure of developers to complete estates properly.  j)the introduction of a nationally co-ordinated scheme for the recycling of reusable waste products.  The objectives of this plan will be as follows:  Annual reduction in waterways affected by pollution with 100% of waterways to be free of pollution by the year 1995;  *All major resort beaches to attain an E.C. blue flag status by 1991  *Reducing levels of air pollution each year, no breaches of EC limits by 1992;  *Targeted and reduced tonnages of litter each year;  *All cars on Irish roads by 1992 to be using lead-free petrol;  *The amount of pollutants being dumped into the Irish Sea by both Britain and Ireland to be reduced by a minimum of 50% by 1995;  *The total elimination of the importation and manufacture of CFC's by the start of January 1991.  Fine Gael will require the Department of the Environment to publish an annual report which indicates progress in each local authority area under each of the main headings. This approach of targeting and annual progress reports would represent a major shift in our emphasis on environmental issues. There should also be annually a national map published which illustrates the different levels  of pollution in our rivers and lakes so that the national picture is clearly depicted and an improvement or a deterioration easily identifiable.  Investment in sanitary services will cost money but the prospect for a static population should ease the resource requirement for the future. However, other aspects of water and air pollution and litter, are mainly matters of attitude and law enforcement.  Fine Gael believe that the targeted approach of measuring the progress of each local authority will provide a much needed focus for progress in this area, leading to much more stringent law enforcement, and heightened public education and awareness.  SMOG IN DUBLIN  Fine Gael will require the Department of the Environment, Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council to agree on a three-year clean air programme for the high smog areas of the city to include:  i)The announcement of the areas to be designated  ii)The immediate extension of the conversion grants scheme to these areas  iii)Progressive designation over the next three years  iv)The introduction of higher value smokeless fuel vouchers for residents of these areas already entitled to free fuel vouchers  v)Smog alerts should be issued through the national media to alert the public about potentially dangerous smog situations in the Dublin area until such time as the problem is solved. The alert should underline the extent of the problem and advise people with respiratory problems to take any necessary special precautions.  At present smokeless coal is a more expensive fuel than ordinary coal. To encourage the use of smokeless coal the VAT charged on it should be substantially reduced.  Fine Gael will  1.Encourage owners of cars currently on the road that cannot use lead-free petrol to have their cars adapted for its use. The carrying out of the necessary adaption work should exempt a car so adapted from road tax for a period of one year.  2.Introduce further excise duty concessions in relation to the sale of lead-free petrol so that it can be sold at 20p per gallon less than the top grade of leaded petrol.  3.Require Government Departments, local authorities and all state bodies to have all state-owned vehicles adapted for the use of lead-free petrol only, all such adaptions to be carried out during 1989.  4.Ensure that Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann carry out the necessary adaption work on their bus fleet and a directive will be issued requiring any new buses purchased to be run on lead-free fuel only.  Fine Gael will deal with the problem of derelict sites through the following measures:  a)the enactment of a truly effective Derelict Sites Bill  b)a national programme for the restoration of buildings of historical interest  c)provision of resources to improve the quality of housing and the environment for existing local authority tenants residing in local authority accommodation and which enables essential facilities such as bathrooms to be provided and necessary refurbishments to be carried out.  d)steps to confine tax inducements and incentives to apply only to residential developments necessary for urban renewal and restoration and to counteract dereliction.  Roads  Fine Gael will give first priority, in the Public Capital Programme, to the Roads Programme. It will be administered through a National Roads Authority which will be established in statute and will bring together the expertise and decision-making ability which is currently dispersed through a multitude of Local Authorities. Fine Gael will seek to extend E>C assistance to include some of the present county road network, much of which is in a deplorable condition.  Housing  Fine Gael in Government will maintain its traditional commitment to ensuring that local authority housing is available to those who require it. Fine Gael will also, upon taking office, undertake a fundamental review of housing policy so as to ensure the availability of a reasonable mix of housing accommodation and to consider specific roles for joint venture projects and housing credits. Legislation will also be enacted to provide a statement of rights and obligations applicable to landlords and tenants. This legislation will make provision for the furnishing of rent books.  Language and Culture  The advent of the Single Market within the European Community as well as the pressures of emigration make it imperative that we improve our language skills. It is important that our efforts in this area concentrate on improving all skills and are not limited to the teaching of just one foreign language, French. We must also take care to ensure that the effectiveness of the teaching of our on Irish language and culture be improved.  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will have the following policy priorities:  1.The State should set itself the aim that every young person will have the opportunity of attaining at least basic competence in two of the Continental European languages by the end of post primary education.  2.In the longer term, modern Continental languages should be introduced at primary school level.  3.Fine Gael will change the examination marking system for languages to favour oral and aural skills  4.Third level colleges should be encouraged to extend opportunities for language learning to all  5. Tax incentives should be introduced for companies which sponsor initiatives for language learning in schools or recognised centres.  6.Fine Gael will encourage the provision of foreign language television  7. Irish language courses should be widened to include folklore, customs, music and dance, as well as literature.  8. A Leaving Certificate course in "Irish Studies" should be available as well one in language and literature.  9. Special funds should be made available from the National Lottery for equipment, materials and in-service teacher training for Irish language teaching in primary schools.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed proposal for the teaching of language and culture are set out in our Policy Document "Language Learning and Teaching.  Broadcasting Policy  ANALYSIS  In the last Dail Fine Gael blocked the original Fianna Fail proposal whereby the Minister was to prescribe, select and control the new independent radio and television stations. Instead, we secured an independent Commission to do this work. We also secured a provision under which the stations will not be allowed to push their own editorial line on issues of public controversy. Ireland is still only on the threshold of broadcasting advances. It is crucial that the new stations open up opportunities for Irish talent, and do not become simply a funnel for re-packaged foreign material. Fine Gael fears that the present county structure of stations will produce stations that are carbon copies of one another, and tail to produce the diversity that the public seeks. Fianna Fail has failed to carry out a full appraisal of the different investment options to achieve multi-channel distribution throughout the country. Instead they have imposed an unproven and costly MMDS system. Fine Gael has published a Broadcasting Policy for he 1990's. The debate in Ireland has focused almost exclusively on who should give wt the contracts for independent broadcasting. There are much wider issues, in particular, of how can Ireland exploit the job potential of a broadcasting industry which is growing so rapidly world-wide?  GENERAL POLICY  Fine Gael will provide for:  *A quota for home produced programmes for both RTE and the third channel, within which a significant fraction would open up opportunities for Irish independent producers.  *A Trading Company with RTE involvement to spearhead an export sales drive for Irish produced radio and television programming. It would examine co-production with overseas stations and possible participation in overseas television franchises.  *Reciprocal broadcasting arrangements with Northern Ireland  *A number of initiatives to exploit the neglected potential for broadcasting in education and in promoting economic development particularly in career choice and supporting fledgling small businesses  *An early move to bring foreign language broadcasting to Irish screens  *An urgent appraisal of the potential for adapting the RTE transmission network to carry the Third National TV Channel and Gaeltacht TV.  *Applications for both IHF and MMDS systems of multi-channel TV distribution will be assessed as competitive alternatives for non-cabled areas.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed proposals for l broadcasting are set out in our Policy Document "Broadcasting Policy for the 1990's".  Health Policy  ANALYSIS  Fine Gael acknowledges that there is currently a crisis in the Health Service. The delays in access through waiting lists for hospital services have become so serious that immediate action is needed to rectify the situation. Some basic aspects of our Health Services such as Dental and Optical care for medical card holders and their dependents have virtually disappeared. Real hardship is being felt by public patients who cannot afford to pay for private medicine. We believe this is due to the Government's mismanagement of the Health Services coupled with indiscriminate health cutbacks which have particularly hit the frontline of patient services. The current Health System has structures that are unchanged for twenty years resulting in poor management and little value for money. The system is over-administered and under-managed. A fundamental restructuring of the Health Service is now required.  POLICY PROPOSALS  Immediate Response  1.Fine Gael will in Government allocate 30 million each year for two years from National Lottery funds to rectify the immediate crisis in the Health Service. This sum will be allocated solely to patient services on the basis of greatest need with specific priority to reducing hospital waiting lists such as: Orthopaedic hip replacements, E.N.T. treatments and other vital procedures. This will be done through the most cost effective hospitals on a contract basis of payment for specified levels of treatment. While a short term cash injection is required to deal with the immediate situation the real problem of the Health Service will only be resolved through re-organisation and restructuring.  2. Essential Patient Services  Fine Gael believes that a number of Health Service requirements must be provided in a planned way to meet an inevitable growing demand in the 1990s. These four areas are:  (A)The Elderly.  Due to increased numbers of people over 65 years and higher life expectancy extra services and facilities will be needed to ensure the elderly can live with dignity and independence.  (B)Mental Handicap.  Extra adult residential places and more specialised services are required for mentally handicapped persons on a national basis.  (C)Child Care.  Children at risk and their families need facilities and support services to implement effectively the overdue legal reforms of the Child Care Rill.  (D)A.I.D.S.  The growth in numbers of H.I.V. positive and AIDS patients is of epidemic proportions with the total doubling each 10 months.  In each of these categories Fine Gael proposes an individual National 5 year Health Plan to include the comprehensive provision of medical, community care, and welfare services.  This planned response compares starkly to the present Government's ad hoc approach lunging from one crisis to another. Fine Gael will introduce a National Dental and Optical Service for all medical card holders on a referral basis to local practitioners. A comprehensive Dental Prevention Programme in schools and orthodontic treatment in each region will be available. These initiatives will be combined with the P.R.S.I. Treatment Benefit Schemes all to be administered under the Department of Health.  3.Re-organisation of the Health Service  The Health Boards will be abolished and replaced by a State Agency to be called An Bord Slainte which will have direct responsibility for the delivery of Health Services nationally. Each public hospital will have a streamlined management structure with defined medical roles and professional management answerable directly to An Bord Slainte.  Allocations of finance to hospitals will be provided on the basis of Clinical Budgeting, whereby payments will be based on the number of patients to be treated at competitive costings.  The Board will seek to reach agreement with staff in the regional and local centres to ensure that they can deliver the most efficient local service within a streamlined management structure. Local public representative structures will be put in place to allow for accountability and a consumer input to the Health Services on the ground.  4.Re-allocation of Resources  Fine Gael's objective is to ensure that the Irish Health Service not only provides a high quality of service but is also cost effective and eff1cient resulting in the optimum care and value for money.  Thus, within the f1rst two years of the operation of Bord Slainte it will be charged with the specific goal of ensuring that resources are re-allocated to the priority areas as mentioned already by obtaining savings under the following headings:  -Re-negotiate drug purchase prices on a more competitive basis.  -Implement an effective utilisation of generic drugs.  -Invest strategically in new technology in the areas of medical records, catering, energy conservation and patient administration so as to reduce annual costs.  -Establish a small purchasing unit to maximise purchasing strength for both medical and non medical supplies by ensuring economies of scale, effective stock control and uniform price information.  5.Fine Gael in Government is committed to the introduction of a Bill of Rights for the Disabled to ensure that those who comprise that 10% of the population can live their lives with the maximum participation in society. This legislative reform will include such issues as access to buildings, rights of employment in the Public and Private Sector, the recognition of careers and income maintenance.  6.Fine Gael will develop a positive policy of preventative medicine by introducing for adults a bi-annual comprehensive health check-up for early diagnosis of illness and to encourage healthier lifestyles .  7.Fine Gael, in Government, will introduce a new Sale of Food Act to attain the highest levels of food quality. This will include a new se of compositional standards for a number of basic food items, hygiene regulations licensing of some food premises, minimum training standards for staff; and effective penalties for breaches of regulations.  DETAILED POLICY  Fine Gael's detailed proposals or Health arc set out further in our Policy Document "A Better Health Service" and "A National Dental Plan'  Home Income Plan  ANALYSIS  For many elderly people their only capital is their home and they do not have a regular income. Elderly home owners on low incomes, in fact, are becoming one of the most deprived sections of the community. Frequently they have to seek residential care, at a high cost which they are unable to meet. Many live in homes that they cannot afford to repair.  PROPOSAL  To enable our elderly home owners live a more comfortable, independent and happy life Fine Gael will introduce a tax assisted Home Income Plan. It will significantly increase the income of old people and provide money for essential house expenses, and also to pay fees for places in residential care if this is necessary.  The Home Income Plan will enable them if they choose to unlock the capital value of their homes to meet their need for more income now.  They will be able to receive this income by taking out a mortgage of part of the value of their home and use it to buy an annuity providing a regular income. The interest on the loan will be added to the capital so that neither the interest nor the capital will need to be repaid during the lifetime of the elderly person. It will, however, be recouped from the sale value of the home after the elderly person's death.  Although some financial institutions offer home income plans at present, they are of limited value because the interest has to be paid after the death of the borrower. Yet tax relief is allowed if the borrowers reduce their income by repaying interest during their lifetime. Neither method really gives fair value and so relatively few people take up this scheme.  Fine Gael will make Home Income Plans really worthwhile benefits for old people by allowing them to postpone the interest payments and to qualify for tax relief on the interest which is finally repaid. This could give a substantial boost in income to elderly people and would enable them to cover many of the expenses that arise in their later years.  Northern Ireland  We believe that the Anglo-Irish Agreement is the best framework for action to bring about a peaceful solution to the problems of Northern Ireland. We fully support the aims and objectives of the Agreement, and will give every possible support and encouragement to action taken in its context.  In September 1988, we published our proposals for the Review of the Agreement. The recently published Review falls seriously short of our proposals.  We proposed that the Irish and British Governments should state explicitly, in accordance with the Agreement, that they are determined to make devolution a reality. The statement contained in Paragraph 7 of the Review does not go this far. We further proposed that each of the two Governments should institute pre-Conference consultations with the constitutional political parties in its jurisdiction. We believe that such consultations could play a very constructive role in improving mutual understanding, at the very least, and perhaps in engendering respect. The two Governments have lost a valuable opportunity in this regard.  We proposed that the Intergovernmental Conference should be given a remit to examine the implications, for economic and social relations between the two parts of the island, of the European Community's "1992" Programme. The two Governments appear to have accepted this proposal.  Finally, we proposed that there be a regular schedule of Conference meetings. This recommendation also appears to have been accepted by the two Governments. We are seriously concerned by the apparent lack of progress in relation to the accompaniment of the armed forces in Northern Ireland by the police in the course of contacts with the public. We are seriously concerned also by the failure of the two Governments to make any progress in relation to changes in the courts system in Northern Ireland. These two issues must be tackled with much greater commitment and openness.  Education Policy  ANALYSIS  The last 23 years have been extremely unsettling ones for Irish education. No planning has been brought to bear and morale has been allowed reach a state of collapse. Instead, unplanned and ill thought out cutbacks have been the order of the day and from these there have on occasions been ignominious retreats. Often, the victims of these decisions has been the most vulnerable in our entire educational system. Fine Gael is determined to restore a sense of purpose and to target our resources to those most disadvantaged and to those activities which will most enrich the lives of the young people in the educational system and so equip them to contribute to the development of their country.  Specifically, Fine Gael will:  1.Reverse with effect from the 1st September 199 the disimprovement in the pupil teacher ratio in our primary schools decided upon by Fianna Fail while in government.  2.Dropping numbers also mean that in many areas there are now redundant education facilities, many schools having classrooms and sometimes full corridors not in use. Fine Gael is determined that greater use in the public interest would be made of these facilities and indeed that there will be greater community access to school facilities generally and will for that purpose enter  into discussion with the school authority. Fine Gael recognises that there are now serious maintenance problems facing many of our schools. One effect of this is that substantial capital investment is frequently wasted or put at risk. This requires a review of how capital is allocated and Fine Gael will undertake that review. Fine Gael is also determined that the various temporary employment schemes operated by FAS will be available to schools right throughout the country. This will assist schools with maintenance and decoration. Fine Gael will re-establish a Curriculum and Examination Board and put it on a statutory basis. By freeing the Department Inspectorate from their present role in relation to exams they will be put in position to undertake the task of advising and monitoring in schools.  5.Fine Gael will carry through the proposed new Junior Cycle Certif1cate for which they had laid the foundation while in government.  6.Fine Gael will promote the teaching of modern continental languages within and without the formal educational system as set out in our published document "Language Learning & Teaching" .  7.Fine Gael is concerned that the Higher Education Grants System contains many anomalies we propose to review the system with a view to eliminating these as far as possible. We are concerned to ensure that the funds allocated will be available to those whose need is greatest. A particularly heavy burden rests on those parents with more than 1 child attending college. Fine Gael is also concerned at the in justice in the present qualifying rules with its requirement or 4 Honours even when this is higher that the entrance requirements for the college.  8.Fine Gael will afford autonomy to the Regional Technical College. Fine Gael is particularly anxious to increase the capacity of these Colleges to undertake research and consultancy.  9.Fine Gael will address the organisation of Third Level education. The objective will be to increase the number of places in Third Level. Options to be considered include a 4 term year to increase throughput and the sharing of facilities.  Justice & Law Reform  UP-DATING THE LEGAL SYSTEM  Family Law  Fine Gael has a proud record in the whole area of family law. The Judicial Separation and Family Law Reform Bill was introduced by Fine Gael in opposition and recently became law - this represented a milestone in Marriage Law Reform, providing a compassionate response to the problems of marital breakdown. Fine Gael in Government will continue to deal with the many other problems remaining  in the Family Law area. We propose-  *To put the Family Mediation Service on a permanent basis  *To introduce a Marriage Bill increasing the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18 years  *To introduce a statutory based system of legal aid and advice in the family law area  *To establish Family Courts  *To amend the law to give a spouse an interest in matrimonial property by virtue of the work of that spouse in the upbringing of children or in the home.  OTHER AREAS OF CIVIL LAW REFORM  Fine Gael proposes-  *A modern Conveyancing Act to update the law relating to house and property transactions, in order to simplify procedures and reduce costs.  *To establish Small Claims Tribunals to deal with small claims and disputes quickly and informally.  *To establish a Court of Civil Appeal to reduce the workload of the Supreme Court.  *To introduce a Freedom of Information Act to allow a citizen access to certain State records.  *To transfer responsibility for the building, upkeep and maintenance of Courthouses from local authorities to the Off1ce of Public Works.  To establish a system of Civil Legal Aid to enable citizens with a justifiable grievance access to our Courts.  Criminal Law  The f1ght against crime is a never-ending one, requiring continual review and updating our laws. Many of our laws in this area date back to the last century and are totally inadequate to deal with the situation facing us today. Fine Gael has identified the following areas where changes are urgently needed. These are  -Stricter control on the possession of offensive weapons, e.g. use of knives and other sharp instruments.  -To provide our Courts with greater powers to confiscate assets derived from the proceeds of crime, especially in the drugs area.  -To allow Courts to order the forfeiture of bail where the criminal committed other offences whilst on bail.  -Introduce the use of new technology in crime detection to bring to justice those who have committed serious offences, e.g. genetic fingerprinting.  -Establish a Drugs Intelligence Agency to keep in touch and co-ordinate with a Central Agency in Europe. This is urgently needed in view of the international dimension of this particular crime and the advent of 1992. A wider system of 'on the spot' fines, particularly in respect of Road Traffic offences.  -The punishment for crimes of a sexual nature should reflect the abhorrence in which society holds these horrible deeds. Fine Gael will introduce a new Rape Bill to deal with this.  -The law dealing with offences against property is totally inadequate for modern conditions.  -The Larceny Act 1916 will be replaced by a modern statute dealing with theft and receiving stolen goods.  -Legislation is required to address the growing problems of domestic child kidnapping.  The Prison System  With the alarming increase in the numbers in our prisons today at a very high cost to the taxpayer (each prisoner costs approximately £600 per week to keep in prison) - it is time we re-examined the whole system.  Prisons should be for persons who are convicted of serious crimes either against the person or property, and when this means of punishment is used, sentences imposed should not be set aside by early releases for extraneous reasons such as overcrowding.  There are alternatives to imprisonment for minor offences and for such things as non-payment of fines, and if used properly these would act both as a deterrent to crime and as a means of punishment .  Fine Gael proposes  -Those convicted of serious offences will serve their full prison sentence allowing for appropriate remission for good behaviour.  -Resources will be made available so that those serving prison sentences will undergo training and treatment to avoid returning to a life of crime.  -Adequate resources will be made available to our Courts and Probation and Welfare Service to allow for suitable alternatives to imprisonment for lesser offences.  Examples of suitable alternatives are as follows  -Community Service Orders  -Fines  -Confiscation of property or assets and attachment of income  -Restitution to the victim of crime  -General powers for Courts to require attendance at treatment centres, residence in approved hostels, participation in training programmes and restriction of juvenile offenders at specified times to their places of residence  The Gardai  The manpower strength of the Garda Siochana has reduced considerably since Fianna Fail came into Government. Fine Gael is committed to maintaining Garda manpower strength at a level necessary to reduce dramatically the level of crime in the country. Ongoing changes are necessary in the operational structures, management and training of the Garda Siochana. Fine Gael proposes  -Changes in Garda management structures will include the provision of qualified Financial and Personnel Managers leading to more autonomy for the Garda Commissioner in the spending of funds allocated to the Garda Siochana.  -A move towards the principle of Neighbourhood Policing involving more flexible working hours on the beat in the community.  -Relieving Gardai of much paper work by providing more civilian back-up for routine office, administrative duties and other non-police work.  -A Juvenile Justice Bill to modernise the criminal law presently applied to children, which will provide a statutory role for Juvenile Liaison Officers. - --Greater use of the Garda Training College for in-service training courses. - ---Adequate resources for the proper development of the Juvenile Liaison Scheme. - -To continue our support for the Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and to develop other schemes designed to encourage greater community involvement in crime prevention.  Victims of Crime  Victims of crime are too often the forgotten people in our criminal justice system. Fine Gael will take steps to address this problem as follows  -Support for organisations which provide help and counselling to victims of crime  -Rape and sexual assault victims will be given every support, including, where necessary, legal advice before and during any Court case  -Courts will be given powers to order the convicted person to pay compensation to the victim of their crime, if necessary by confiscation of property or attachment of income.  Social Welfare Policy  Fine Gael will radically overhaul the Social Welfare system to:  -remove disincentives to job creation  -eliminate poverty traps and anomalies  -improve the lot of those in greatest need  The main changes which Fine Gael will introduce include:  -the abolition of employee PRSI, Health and Training levies and their replacement by a 5% levy  -the establishment of a Single Eligibility Test (S.E.T.) based on net income to measure entitlement on a graduated basis to all State Benefits so that those unemployed taking up jobs will not automatically lose Medical Cards and other benefits  -the reform of the Supplementary Welfare system and in relation to Rent and Mortgage supplements (a) to pay same to those in full-time low paid employment, (b) to eliminate the minimum contribution payable by those in receipt of Supplementary Welfare and (c) to reduce the claw-back by 50% for other applicants  -special provisions for the long-term unemployed including:  (a)exemption from payment of the Employee Levy for 6 months after taking up employment  (b)exclusion of benefit deemed to arise from living at home for those over 25 in calculating their entitlement to Unemployment Assistance  (c)the extension of the current Pre-Retirement Allowance to those over 55, with income from employment of less than 18 hours per week being disregarded in any Means Test  (d)the improvement of the position of those taking up temporary or part-time employment by giving responsibility to an off1cial at each Labour Exchange to seek out part-time and temporary job opportunities and by arranging for rapid restoration of benefit and allowances after such jobs cease  -the establishment of the right to privacy for applicants in Social Welfare and other public off1ces  -the extension of the principle established by Fine Gael that payment of the Prescribed Relative Allowance will be made direct to the carer by increasing the rate of payment to Supplementary Welfare level  -giving the option to applicants for Non-Contributory Pensions to have their capital assessed on the basis of actual income from Bank and other deposits rather than insisting on the present artificial 10% rate  -the introduction of an additional 'Back to School' payment of weekly child dependant allowances with similar additional payments to the low paid in receipt of Family Income Supplement.  The National Lottery  Fianna Fail, in government, has scandalously abused National Lottery Funds for Party purposes. Fine Gael will put in place a fair open and accountable system for allocating Lottery Funds.  Use of Funds  In lieu of this success of the Lottery, there is clearly a very strong case for reviewing the uses to which the funds are put, particularly with a view to identifying other areas where pressing but non-recurring needs can be identified and met. Fine Gael believes that subject to the short-term special requirement for the health service (See Section on Health) the following activities should be assisted:  -youth and sport;  -arts, culture and the Irish language;  -health projects including assistance to organisations catering for physically and mentally handicapped persons;  -The Task Force for home repairs for the elderly;  -educational equipment for primary and second level schools, to cater particularly for the teaching of language skills;  -grants for the provision of amenities to promote tourism, in both the private and public sectors.  Method of Allocation  We believe also that changes are needed in the way in which funds are allocated. The system currently used (which is not the system originally envisaged) is excessively arbitrary, does not seem to be based on a clearly defined applications system and, in many cases, appears to attach little or no importance to the ability of groups which receive aid to follow through and manage the assisted projects. The following conditions must therefore be applied.  First, there must be a standard application procedure for each type of project. This must specify the information required.  Second, no capital grant should exceed 50% of the approved cost as a general rule; no current grant should exceed 50% of the cost of normal ongoing expenditure, and no current grant for a 'once off' project should cover more than 75% of the approved cost.  Third, each application should, where appropriate, set out in detail the steps to be taken to ensure the continuing viability of the project in question (for example, provisions for maintenance and management of sports facilities). Fourth, the allocations system must ensure the avoidance of duplication and wasteful expenditure. With this in view, it will clearly be necessary to have structures which can establish the relative merits of different applications and also set out priorities between them.  -Funds for the arts and cultural sectors should be allocated by the Arts Council, subject to the final approval of the Taoiseach.  -Funds for sport, recreation and amenity grants will be allocated, in particular cases, either by a new Statutory Sport and Recreation Council which we will establish, or, in the case of allocations to Local Authorities, by the Department of the Environment. The sport functions of the Department of Education will be transferred to the Department of the Environment.  -Funds for Youth Activities will be allocated by the Department of Education with formalised consultation with youth organisations.  -Funds for the Irish language should be allocated by Bord na Gaeilge, subject to the final approval of the Minister for the Gaeltacht.  -Funds for the provision of educational equipment should be allocated by the Minister for Education.  -Assistance to organisations catering for physically and mentally handicapped persons should be allocated by the Minister for Health.  -Funds for the provision of amenities to promote tourism should be allocated by Bord Failte, subject to the final approval of the Minister for Tourism and Transport.  Emigrant Welfare  Except for a brief period in the 1970's, people have been emigrating from Ireland for over 150 ye-ars. Emigration is a very emotive subjcct, but it is also a phenomenon with profound effects on our society and our economy, and must be examined in a properly objective way. Fine Gael will implement the following proposals:  One Government Department will assume responsibility for all emigrant matters. At the moment four Government Departments are involved in emigrant matters, in an uncoordinated way;  -VEC's will be asked to set up Adult Education Courses dealing with all aspects of emigration. These courses should be brought to the notice of all school leavers and their parents;  -The remit of DION will be expanded to include the funding of hostels and to increase the funding for advice centres. We will establish a number system of assistance for Irish emigrant welfare activity in the United States;  -Joint initiatives on Community Training Programmes involving FAS and the YTS in Britain (ofvital importance to the sub-18 years of age category who do not qualify for DHSS payments);  -Compilation and updating of a dossier on the number of spare beds available - this could be done under the aegis of CARA, which currently has an application for £27,000 with the Department of Labour;  -The Anglo-Irish Conference shall highlight the problem of emigrants from both traditions from Northern Ireland who are viewed as Irish when they arrive in England and who are reluctant to use Irish Advice Centres;  -The Anglo-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body should be used to familiarise U.K. politicians with the problems being encountered by Irish emigrants and to enlist their support for emigrant support initiatives in Britain;  -A Task Force composed of Oireachtas members, members of voluntary bodies and the churches should be established to examine the situation, assess the needs and draw up an appropriate response which would be implemented by the Government of the day;  -The Government will seek to monitor the emigration figures accurately on a monthly basis; These figures should be published in conjunction with the monthly live register figures;  -The Government will enter into negotiations with the British Statutory agencies and the London based voluntary organisations to provide accommodation vouchers, in registered hostels or houses, to young Irish emigrants for a limited period of time (say four weeks);  -The Government will ask the Commissioner for Social Affairs in Brussels to draw up a programme of assistance for migratory workers in the F.C'.  Foreign Affairs & Development Co-operation  The past two years have seen unprecedented cutbacks in our Development Aid Programme, especially bilateral aid, which has been virtually extinguished.  This has occurred at a time when the developing world is in its deepest crisis for decades and when public support for aid is at its highest.  Therefore Fine Gael will aim to reverse the current decline in spending on Development Aid and resume progress towards achieving the UN target by the year 2000.  Fine Gael will establish an Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Development Co operation.  Fine Gael believes that Ireland is historically and politically well placed to play a major role in influencing EC attitude to debt alleviation, quality of aid and ecological issues.  Finally Fine Gael sees pursuit of democracy and peace as essential prerequisites for development.  Womens' Affairs  ANALYSIS  Fine Gael has a commitment to women and particularly to womens' rights. This is reflected in a consistently strong programme of reform, an energetic and independent womens' section of the Party and the establishment, during Fine Gael's last period of government, of an office of the Minister of State for Womens' Affairs. It is also reflected in the proportion, higher than other parties, of elected women at all levels of the Party.  PROPOSALS  Fine Gael in Government will give a Cabinet Minister responsibility for womens affairs with appropriate powers and budget allocations for the funding of womens' organisations and the promotion of projects and programmes to ensure the equal participation of women in all areas of Irish Society.  Fine Gael will introduce a Family Property ill which will give a wife an interest in matrimonial property by virtue of the work of the wife in the home. This legislation will be complimentary to the Judicial Separation and Family La Reform Act, recently steered through the Oireachtas by Fine Gael as a Private Members Bill. A Family Property Rill will give full recognition to the contribution of women as spouses in the home.  Fine Gael will promote a national network of ancillary services for women, particularly in rural areas. This network would be aimed at positive health programmes and clinical screening for women. It will also ensure that the dental, optical and aural benefits for the wives of insured workers will e implemented.  Fine Gael will promote the provision of childcare facilities in deprived communities so as to ensure equal opportunities for all women.  Fine Gael will introduce an Equal Status Bill to cover the provision of goods, facilities and services so as to ensure the equal treatment of men and women. This Bill would make it unlawful to discriminate between men and women in areas such as bank loans, mortgages, access to public places, entertainment facilities, membership of clubs et...  Fine Gael will re-establish the Women in Business Campaign, initiated by the Minister of State for Womens' Affairs and supported by the previous government, which was abolished by the Fianna Fail Government despite its success.  Fine Gael established a pilot Family Mediation Scheme in July 1986. Although the scheme has proved a resounding success, the mediation service is now at risk of closure. Fine Gael in government ill put the Family Mediation Scheme on a permanent basis.  Fine Gael is committed to reforming the law on rape and sexual offences so as to ensure essential protections for women are enacted and to ensure that those who perpetrate sexual offences are brought to justice.  An Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht  -Tuigeann Fine Gael tabhacht na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta i saol na tire agus tabharfar aitheantas do seo i gconai.  -Siad na m6r-dheacrachtai eacnamaiochta sa Gaheltacht na di-fhostaiocht agus an imirce. Tabharfaidh Fine Gael lan-tacaiocht d'Udaras na Gaeltachta tabhairt faoi reiteach na bhfadhbanna agus cuirfear beim ar leith an fhorbairt ar n-achmhainni nadurtha, mar iascaireacht, turasoireacht, agus talmhaiocht.  -Bhi suim ag Fine Gael i gconai i saol mhuintir na n-oilean. Caithfear feabhas a chur ar chursai cumarsaide agus saoraidi calaiochta sna hoileain agus beidh se sin mar chuspoir ag Fine Gael i Rialtas.  -Is mean e an teilifis a theann i bhfeidhm go mor ar an p'nobal. Is beag freastal ata a dheanamh aige ar phobal na Gaeltachta agus na Gaeilge. Aontaionn Fine Gael gur cheart nios mo clarcaha Gaeilge a chur ar fail agus freisin gur cheart seirbhis teilifise Gaeilge a bhunu.  -Aontaionn Fine Gael le sceim Oideachais Chomhdhail Naisiunta na Gaeilge. Is cuis dochais agus misnigh an uimhir Gaelscoileanna ata bunaithe ar fud na tire agus beidh tacaiocht Fhine Gael le fail ag Gluaiseacht na nGaelscolieanna agus na aonrai Gaelacha, chun leanuint ar aghaidh leis an dea-obair sna blianta amach romhainn.  -Ta na Colaisti Samhraidh Gaeilge ag gniomhu ar son na teanga le blianta fada. Aithnionn Fine Gael ar sar-obair ata ar siul acu agus tabharfar gach tacaiocht agus cabhair doibh sna blianta romhainn. Ni chuirfear aon teora le lion na ndaltai a dheannan freastal orthu mar a rinne Fianna Fail le dha bhliain anuas. -Deanfar scrudu iomlan ar sceimeanna teangan Roinn na Gaeltachta maidir lena gcumas agus a n-eifeacht. Leasofar iad, mas ga, le bheith nios eifeachtai.  Defence  The recent treatment of our Defence Forces by the Fianna Fail Government has been callous. There are now disquieting problems of morale which must be urgently addressed. One of the reasons for low morale is low pay. The Fianna Fail Government has handled the pay issue insensitively and ineptly. We believe that the circumstances of the Defence Forces today fully justify the separation of their pay award from other special pay awards. The current schedule is:  40% from 1st July 1989  30% from 1st April 1990  30% from 1st October 1990  We believe that the schedule should be:  40% from 1st July 1989  60% from 1st January 1990  We calculate that the extra cost in 1990 would be in the order of £5.8m. This will be covered by the margin of revenue resulting from our proposals on P.R.S.I. and Tax. Another reason for low morale is the fact that the role of our Defence Forces has not been properly defined in recent years. We, in Government, will rapidly publish a Green Paper on the Defence Forces so that there can be a full-informed debate, leading to a clear role definition. In addition, the Green Paper will deal with conditions of service and with the relationship between the Defence Forces and the other security forces.