FINE GAEL MANIFESTO 1997  Securing and sharing our prosperity  This publication is our first of a series of statements of Fine  Gael's policy priorities to be released throughout the campaign.  These statements are Fine Gael's core elements of a programme  to secure out nation's prosperity and share it fairly for the benefit  of all our citizens.  The tasks and the challenges which confront the Millennium  Government are outlined. We then address the requirements for  continued prosperity in terms of key public and private-sector  policies to cope with and overcome the future challenges. There  is a focus on elements necessary for a continuation of sound  management of the public finances including the key ingredients  of radical tax reform. Finally, we outline specific targeted  measures to aggressively tackle unemployment, especially long-  term unemployment.  Tasks for the millenium Government  Objectives for the millenium government  The economy is working well but we clearly have a further road  to travel. Fine Gael's objectives for irish society, as we look to  the dawn of the new Millenium, are  To consolidate our high growth and low inflation performance  of recent years through promoting competitive public and private  enterprise, sound public finances and continued tax reform and  reductions.  To continue the fight against crime; especially drug-related  crime, and attacks on the elderly and on women.  To support families in their care of their children, their elderly  and their incapacitated members, in a way that takes account of  the pressures on family structures.  To substantially reduce long term unemployment, especially its  persistence over time and from one generation to the next in  some families.  To promote greater access to education and to deepen the quality  of its delivery at all levels.  To stop environmental degradation, and start the process of  renewing the environment  To work for a lasting reconciliation an peace in Northern  Ireland, and for an end to sectarianism, intimidation and  triumphalism emanating from either side of the traditional divide.  Our ability as a nation to make progress towards achieving most  of these objectives depends on our success in consolidating and  enhancing the economic prosperity we've enjoyed in the last few  years. Measures to secure this prosperity and thus to permit a  fair sharing of the gains arising are set out in this statement.  Our targets to secure prosperity for the next 5 years are to:  see our economy grow by at least 5% each year. If that happens,  within 15 years the total value of the goods and services Ireland  produces will have doubled .  Keep inflation below 2% per annum.  Achieve mortgage and other interest rates of no more than 5% -  6% from 1999 onwards.  Increase the total number at work in Ireland by at least 35,000 -  40,000 each year  Substantially reduce the overall rate of unemployment and the  rate of long-term unemployment consistent with the  government's ten-year targets .  The challenges ahead (Back to top)  But we cannot take the continuation of this prosperity for  granted. It will have to be achieved in the face of several  possible challenges:  Entry to European Monetary Union.  A possible reduction in Structural Funds after 1999.  Enlargement of the European Union to the East to include up to  ten additional countries.  A new World Trade Organisation agreement, further trade  liberalisation and globalisation of the economy.  The emergence of blockages to prosperity, such as congestion in  the employment market as some skills become scarcer, the need  for further improvements in our infrastructure and to ensure the  availability of quality housing at affordable prices.  Partnership 2000, Social Inclusion and Equality (Back to top)  Partnership 2000 gives us the confidence to plan for the future.  An unprecedented wide group of people were involved in its  negotiation. This agreement sets out the foundation for future  progress across a range of policies for the next two years and  many of our strategies for the future are informed by this  agreement. As a member of the Government that agreed  Partnership 2000 we are in the best position to deliver it.  We reiterate in particular our commitment to see practical effect  given to the pledges in Partnership 2000 to accelerate the process  of social inclusion through the vehicle of the recently  inaugurated National Anti-Poverty Strategy. The promotion of  equality of treatment for all individuals and groups which have  not previously been accorded the rights due to citizens of this  State is also a key theme of this agreement and one which Fine  Gael fully supports as being consistent with its steadfast  endeavours to promote a "Just Society".  Challenges Ahead  The government which distinguished itself during the recent EU  Presidency can validly claim to have the best credentials to  overcome the following possible challenges in the next five  years:  The establishment of European Monetary Union.  Structural Funds after 1999.  The enlargement and deepening of the Union.  European Monetary Union (Back to top)  We believe the time for debating whether to join the single  currency withou the UK's participation has now past. The  debate must now shift to how best we can extract maximum  advantage for this country from involvement in the single  currency and in particular how to chart the correct policy couse  in the event of the UK not joining in the early years of the single  currency.  A recent study by the ESRI has shown that Ireland will benefit  from joining the single currency, even without the UK, on any  reasonable appraisal of the risks involved. The main benefits  will be in terms of relative price and exchange rate stability and  of course low interest rates. These benefits will ensure that we  continue to remain highly attractive to internationally mobile  investment, which has been one of the foundation stones for the  huge advances we've made in employment creation in recent  years.  But there is no room for complacency. By joining the single  currency, we will be giving up for good the freedom to adjust  our exchange rate as we see fit. We thus face the potential risk of  Sterling volatility.  Action across a number of fronts can insure employment in  Ireland against this risk:  A continued emphasis on sound, public finances, and, in  particular, on reductions in tax burdens for workers and  enterprise. This will provide our trading sectors with greater  room to respond to competitiveness' shocks if they arise.  Further emphasis on developing an educated and trained  workforce, with globally tradable skills. We therefore place an  especial emphasis on investing in human capital, especially  through the acquisition of foreign language and computer skills.  Active encouragement of market diversification. Forbairt, the  IDA and An Bord Trachtala (ABT) will be required to propose  schemes to encourage the necessary marketing and re-training  investment to facilitate such diversification.  Building on Fine Gael-inspired initiatives to promote more  flexible systems of wage and salary compensation,we want  these issues to be placed at the centre of negotiations on a  successor to Partnership 2000. In this respect, measures to  improve partnership between workers and employers at firm  level,as stressed in Partnership 2000, are of crucial importance.  Structural Funds (Back to top)  Ireland has been the success story of the EU Structural Funds.  The claims of other poorer member states and the prospect of  new member states requires that Government will have to  construct a robust case to retain the Structural Funds after 1999  at the highest possible level. Fine Gael's position is simple.  Ireland should not be penalised because of our recent success.  Fine Gael in Government be seeking substantial funding for the  whole country. We believe that there are several arguments  which justify this position. First, Ireland continues to have an  exceptional long-term unemployment problem despite significant  recent improvement. Second, we have further investment  requirements for public infrastructure in relation to roads, water  and waste management, our ports and telecommunications.  Third, the Structural Funds eligibility criterion is based on GDP  which in Ireland's case considerably exceeds GNP because of  our high level of profit repatriations. Fourth, while the flawed  GDP per capita measure pushes us into the vulnerable zone as  far as maximising our entitlement to Structural Funds, our "catch  up" has been fairly recent. Finally, any sizeable and precipitous  reduction in the level of Structural Funds after 1999 could undo  the real convergence gains which the current funding has  achieved.  EU Enlargement and deepening of the Union (Back to top)  The possibility of a Union of up to 25 members brings both  opportunities and threats. The prospect of a single market with  an additional 100 million people promises opportunities for all  existing members and provides further assurance for continuing  peace and stability in Europe. Following our successful  Presidency of the EU, Ireland's role at the centre of Europe is  now assured. Fine Gael will protect Ireland's vital national  interests where representation on the Commission and voting  rights are concerned. The biggest threat to our economic  interests, however, will emerge in relation to agricultural  policies.  CAP reform will be driven by the continuation of the MacSharry  reforms, the implementation of commitments given by the EU in  the last international trade agreement and any new ones which  may emerge from the Round which will commence in 1999.  Fine Gael reiterates the commitments given in Partnership 2000  to ensure "... that any change to EU policy is achieved in a  manner which protects the legitimate interests of Ireland's  farming and rural communities and the food industry". Fine  Gael will oppose any attempt to re-nationalise the CAP.  In the light of the European Commission's Agenda 2000  proposals, we call for the development and implementation of a  ten-year plan for Irish food and farming which will enable  Ireland to become a competitive world-class food producer.  Securing Prosperity Through Promoting Competitive Public  And Private Enterprise (Back to top)  Maintaining competitive advantage  Our recent prosperity, in terms of high growth, low inflation and  record employment creation, has been based on the achievement  and maintenance of international competitiveness. In the short to  medium term, domestic wage rates, exchange and interest rates  are crucial to keeping our competitive edge. Constant  improvements in the productivity of all our resources are,  however, critical in the medium to long term as they are the  foundation for enduring gains in our productive capacity.  Fine Gael wants to see Ireland attain a permanent place in the  "top 10" league of international competitiveness. That will  require action on several fronts. Prudent management of the  public finances, and especially the ultimate elimination of the  Exchequer deficit over the economic cycle is a necessary  condition for ensuring competitiveness along with successful  adherence to the disciplines of Monetary Union after 1999. But  it is not sufficient. Sustained competitiveness requires every  sector of our economy, both public and private, to be constantly  engaged in the process of innovation.  Fine Gael believes innovation needs:  Investment in "human capital", that is, education and training of  people and in "knowledge capital", that is, R&D.  Investment in public and private infrastructure, e.g., transport,  telecommunications, water and sewerage services and  Institutional flexibility and adaptability in the private and public  sectors to embrace change.  Fine Gael believes that the establishment of a top-level National  Competitiveness Council reporting to An Taoiseach, to develop,  monitor and propose actions for a pro-competitiveness agenda  embracing the role of R&D, training, information technology  should be an important national initiative to achieve our  competitiveness agenda and attain our place in the top-ten league  of international competitiveness.  Ireland's recent growth and employment performance can to a  substantial degree be attributed to our investment in "human  capital" which is now really beginning to bear fruit. "Human  capital" investment repays dividends through higher earnings for  more educated and trained persons than for those with poorer  levels. It also permits complementary investment in physical  capital and R&D. The most obvious example of this process is  the increase in the level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).  There is thus a double prosperity dividend from investment in  "human capital". An enhanced commitment to education and  training will be one of our principal obsessions over the next  five years.  Investment by the State complemented by EU Structural and  Cohesion funds has resulted in tremendous improvement in the  infrastructure for enterprise in recent years. But also of  importance has been the unleashing of competitive forces in  many State utilities which provide vitally important services to  the enterprise sector. Fine Gael will continue to promote both of  these areas as a means to improving our competitiveness ranking  over the next five years.  The Information Society (Back to top)  Bringing the information society to our schools  Due to the quality of our young educated labour force we are  uniquely placed to harness the great potential of the so-called  "information society". We envisage opportunities for  commercial exploitation in several fields including software,  education, retail, financial and consulting services. An  awareness of the potential of this technology must be quickly  instilled in industry, especially small industry. Fine Gael  believes we should assign a priority to upgrading knowledge of  the "information society" in our schools.  Establish a joint venture between RTE and other interests to  develop digital broadcasting.  Digital broadcasting technology will not only enhance picture  and sound quality, but will increase the number of channels  available for television and other information and data  transmission services.  The public interest requires the protection and enhancement of  Ireland's national public service broadcasting network in these  changed circumstances. Fine Gael will support a joint venture  between RTE and other interests to invest in, and develop,  digital broadcasting which will greatly improve the range of our  potential television services, including educational, cultural and  commercial opportunities. The additional channels made  available by digital technology will also be a major input into  Ireland's programme of developments to exploit the Information  Society in the new Millennium.  Introduce regulation of decoders  Fine Gael supports the introduction of a system of regulation of  decoders for digital broadcast reception which will ensure  universal and primary access to the national broadcasters,  safeguarding Irish national interests.  Protecting national sporting events  The televising, free of charge, of key sporting and cultural  events should be safeguarded, in the national interest, by law.  Prioritising Infrastructural Investment (Back to top)  Establish an Institute for Transport and Logistics  Investment should be prioritised in the basic infrastructure such  as roads, sea ports, rail and airports, transport services, and  particularly in the area of "system logistics". Fine Gael supports  the establishment of an Institute for Transport and Logistics at a  suitable third-level institution to provide degree and diploma  awards and to act as a research resource for what has been an  underdeveloped aspect of our transport infrastructure.  Environmental issues will assume a central role during the life of  the next government. The interests of the environment and  enterprise are very much in harmony. The pursuit of sustainable  development ensures that enterprise is conscious that its  activities today will not undermine its capacity to reap profits in  the future. Opportunities for developing new markets for goods  and services must also be created. We are well positioned to  exploit these in Ireland. At the same time Fine Gael is concerned  that the additional compliance requirement on industry be  minimised. We favour the advance designation, following  extensive local consultation, of suitable sites for industrial  development and the prior clearance of these sites for  development on environmental grounds.  Innovation and Change in our Public and Private Institutions  (Back to top)  The responses of our public and private institutions to the  demands of change also affect our competitiveness. Our  educational and training institutions must be responsive to the  changing requirements of enterprise. Our industrial development  agencies should be alert to the exploitation of "early mover"  opportunities in all sectors and in the provision of relevant  information for and assistance to enterprise. Our competition and  regulatory agencies must maintain a constant vigilance against  anti-competitive practices in both the State and private sectors.  All our State services must strive to provide the best-quality  service at the lowest price, where relevant, to its customers. At  the same time the burdens imposed by compliance have to be  minimised. In short, Fine Gael seeks to impose the same  disciplines on public bodies as the marketplace places on the  private sector.  Competition and Regulation  Effective competition means better and cheaper goods and  services for households and businesses. We believe that the full  powers and resources of the Competition Authority should be  used to promote competition in the economy and to uncover and  eradicate imperfectly competitive trading activity, including  within the State and semi-State sector.  As the commercial semi-State sector is undergoing  unprecedented change and the traditional monopolistic market  structures are beginning to be replaced, there is clearly a need to  put in place effective independent regulation of these sectors.  Without effective regulation of imperfect competition, the  consumer won't fully benefit from the introduction of much-  needed outside capital into public enterprises. In Government  Fine Gael started this process with the appointment of an  independent regulator for the telecommunications' sector. Fine  Gael wants to see this process continued with the other public  utilities. In time we would like to see trading companies and  sectors operate in close to competitive conditions subject to  rigorous independent regulation where appropriate.  Innovation in Local Government and Community Development  (Back to  top)  With the assistance of Structural Funds from Europe and backed  up by national investment, Fine Gael have championed the  renewal of communities through promoting "bottom up" local  economic development. We developed innovative programmes,  which are being emulated in other countries, through schemes,  such as Urban Renewal, Area Development Management,  County Enterprise Boards and LEADER which deliver  investment into communities over which local people have  control as to how its spent.  We championed the development of the West of Ireland through  the appointment of the first ever Minister of State for Western  Development and creation of the Western Development  Commission with a funding facility of £25 million. We took  specific steps to improve the quality of life of island life through  additional spending in the improvement of island infrastructure  of piers, airstrips, dredging works, roads etc. The Rainbow  Government actively promoted rural Resettlement as an option  for urban-based families who want their children to experience  the quality of life which rural living offers.  Our commitment to distributing the benefits of a buoyant  economy on a widespread geographical basis was underlined by  the Rainbow Government's decision to pay higher rates of  industrial development grants for major commercial investment  outside of the main centres of population.  In addition Fine Gael supports the continued provision of  industrial financial incentives biased in favour of smaller  regional locations, with higher grant levels as appropriate to each  individual case. This also includes the involvement of private  sector investors to stimulate and support a major programme of  modern advance factory construction at key locations and  working in partnership with local authorities to have available  quality-serviced sites at priority locations for new industrial  investment.  Fine Gael is committed to developing thriving town, village and  rural communities. Fine Gael believes that pro-active rural/local  community-led initiatives, fully supported by Government, must  be developed to maintain and enhance their quality and economic  life. Fine Gael is committed to enabling communities in  disadvantaged areas to share in the nation's prosperity.  The vigorous implementation of better standards of service to the  public and value for money will be assured by our commitment  to implementing "Better Local Government" as announced by  the Rainbow Government in December 1996. The changes  outlined will bring benefits in the form of giving local people a  greater say in decisions made by Local Authorities (LAs) which  intimately affect their lives.  To achieve these benefits the following initiatives should be  implemented:  Enhance the accountability of Local Authorities to the public  which they serve, especially through providing user-friendly and  easily accessible information on key activities, such as planning.  Local representatives should be given policy formulation and  over-seeing roles in a Cabinet-style local administration.  Local development organisations should be given a greater role  in decision-making by LAs.  In the longer term Fine Gael is committed to transferring  functions and ultimately powers, which are at present  administered centrally, to the LAs.  Delivering better public administration (Back to top)  We support the implementation of the Public Service  Management Act which should be a pivotal vehicle for achieving  real change in the delivery of public services.  The implementation of this Act will result in real and tangible  benefits for all. First, it will result in more being achieved for  less resources, and the consequent release of savings to be used  to improve services in priority areas such as health, education  and fighting crime. Second, the implementation of the Public  Service Management Bill will ensure that better quality services  which are more responsive to the needs of the public are put in  place. For example, we believe public offices should be open for  longer hours and during lunch times. We want to see public  offices to be more responsive in dealing with the public. Third,  and most importantly, public servants will have more  responsibility and accountability for the services they deliver.  Public Hospital Boards  We will establish Boards for all our public hospitals with  membership drawn from all relevant partners involved in the  health sector.  Private Institutions (Back to top)  Private institutions also play a central role in underpinning our  competitive economy, especially those institutions which assist  in the funding of investment. Good, "safe" ideas will never be  short of funding but there exist difficulties for innovative  projects. The Developing Companies Market on the Stock  Exchange should be actively encouraged. As Fine Gael has done  in the recent past, we will continue to support State involvement  in low-cost long-term loan schemes which are targeted towards  small scale high-growth potential investments, where  management advice and support are part of the overall support  package. The £60 million provision for Venture Capital for small  start-up companies has been very successful and Fine Gael  would like to see it being expanded. We believe that active ways  of involving the private sector in greater equity provision for  small companies should also be explored. Pension Funds are a  potential source of funding for long-term investment projects in  both the public and private sectors which Fine Gael will aim to  exploit in a new government  Social Partnership has been an undoubted contributory factor to  our recent prosperity. The various National Agreements have  delivered moderate wage settlements and overall peaceful  industrial relations. The most recent agreement broadened the  scope of the Partnership considerably and provides a better basis  for a fair sharing of the gains from material progress. This  framework must be called on to play a prominent role in the  reform of our public institutions which is underway at present. It  will also be of pivotal importance in ensuring that our trading  sectors adapt successfully to the challenges of Monetary Union.  In this context the extension of the partnership model which has  clearly worked at the national level to the level of the "shop  floor" will determine to a large extent whether we can rise to that  challenge. Fine Gael supports every effort to deepen Social  Partnership in this way.  Competitiveness in Our Key Economic Sectors (Back to top)  Taxation on PAYE workers and enterprise affects the level of  profits which are available for re-investment in enterprises. Fine  Gael is determined to see a significant reduction in the taxation  burdens consistent with fairness, enhancement of public services  and achieving a deficit close to balance over the economic cycle.  This is a key strategy to deliver competitive advantage. Our  policies are developed in full in a later section and here we  outline specific sectoral priorities.  Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Back to top)  Fine Gael in government will negotiate the future development  of Ireland's agriculture and food policy on the following guiding  principles:  1.We are committed to ensuring that any change to EU policy  is achieved in a manner which protects the legitimate interests of  Ireland's farming and rural communities and the food industry.  1.Recognising the importance of agriculture and food to the  national economy, we are adamant that :  Any reductions in agriculture prices will be compensated  through direct income support payment ;  The principle of common financing of the CAP be fully  respected ;  The EU financial resources necessary for the continued  implementation of Union policies in the existing Member States,  as well as in the new Member States, must continue to be  provided ;  Quotas and similar production rights must be protected, subject  to Ireland maintaining our strategic advantage in grass-based  production, so as to ensure that national production capacity is  not reduced ;  An adequate level of Community preference must be preserved.  Partnership 2000 contains a number of key pledges to protect the  legitimate interests of Ireland's priorities in farming, food and  rural development. We are committed to seeing that these  undertakings are fully delivered. There are, however, a number  of additional policy initiatives which we will introduce to  underpin the competitive basis of rural society.  Establish a Food Safety Authority  Since March of 1996,the world's beef markets have been  convulsed by the fallout from the human health scares evoked by  BSE. We have to restore confidence in beef products among  consumers at home and abroad. We need a bold measure to do  this, not just for beef but all foods. We therefore propose to  build on the establishment of a Food Safety Board and work  towards the institution of a new and independent statutory  regulatory authority - The Food Safety Authority - with a brief to  regulate all food and related products which may indirectly or  directly impact on human health. This Authority would execute  licensing, labelling, monitoring and control functions. For the  Office to function effectively it will thus require all inspectorate  and technical staff to be brought under its direct control and  hence redeployed to it from all relevant Departments. This  initiative requires extensive consultation in order to be  implemented successfully. The Authority would operate under  the aegis of the Department of Health.  Establish an Office of Minister for Rural Development  Fine Gael recognises that rural development policy is a function  of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and to this  end we are committed to establishing an Office of Minister for  Rural Development, consolidating and co-ordinating all policy  formulation for the future in this regard.  Publish a White Paper on Rural Development  Fine Gael will publish a White Paper on Rural Development  which will address the integration of all aspects of rural  development. Particular emphasis will be placed on the findings  of the recent `Cork Declaration' of November 1996.  Farmers would benefit, like other taxpayers, from our proposed  tax-reform programme.  As a result of a Fine Gael-inspired initiative, Corporation Tax  was reduced to only 28% for small companies - a decline of  12% in three Budgets. This regime encourages re-investment in  the business which is the lifeline to a competitive future. We  believe, given this reduced tax rate and our initiative to see the  rate fall to 12.5%, farmers will consider the potential gains from  incorporating their businesses. Fine Gael will actively explore all  the complex issues involved in facilitating this option.  The Forestry Sector (Back to top)  The Strategic Plan for Forestry, published by Fine Gael in  Government, aims to double the level of afforestation leading to  11,000 additional jobs. Fine Gael believes that this increase in  afforestation must take place in harmony with the environment  and with conventional farming. We will also, through urgent  negotiations with the EU, ensure that the current disparity which  exists between supports for conventional farming and forestry is  removed.  Tourism (Back to top)  Tourism is one of our biggest industries and it is important for  us to continue setting new aims and objectives. We pledge to:  Increase foreign tourism revenue, keeping performance ahead of  targets set in the six-year Operational Programme.  Continue to support nationwide capital investment in our tourism  infrastructure.  Build on the highly successful and innovative programmes such  as the Seaside Resort Scheme, the promotion of our inland  waterways, recreational, cultural and heritage-driven tourism.  Begin planning to optimise the opportunities for the sector in the  context of the new round of Structural Funds.  Building and Construction (Back to top)  The Irish construction industry is highly competitive with  construction costs lower than the EU average. Irish construction  goods' exports totalled £360 million and imports totalled £580  million in 1992. The construction industry is a key industrial  sector underpinning economic growth, infrastructural support  and employment in Ireland. Fine Gael would ensure that  Government contributes to a healthy demand in the construction  industry by maintaining a positive climate for economic growth  and fixed investment. Government must plan for the possibility  of revised EU funding for construction investment post-1999  and proceed as soon as possible with the planned assessment of  the scope for private finance procurement as proposed in  Partnership 2000. Fine Gael will support the objectives and  apporpriate recommendations expected shortly in the strategic  review of the construction industry :  An improvement in the efficiency and productivity of the sector;  To promote the competitiveness of Irish industry in the domestic  and international markets ;  To secure, as far as practicable, reasonable stability in  construction demand ;  To ensure fair, transparent and efficient procedures including  competitive tendering in construction, in accordance with EU  public procurement directives ;  To reduce conflict between the partners to the construction  process and reduce the costs of dispute resolution ;  To secure a regulatory environment which will promote quality  and safety in building design construction by the most cost-  efficient means ;  Fine Gael are committed in Government to the implementation of  appropriate detailed recommendations in support of these  objectives within one year of taking office.  The Marine (Back to top)  Our central aim for the marine sector is to ensure that the country  benefits to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the  requirements of safety, sustainability and environmental  protection, from its marine natural resources and marine industry  and services. Achievement of the sector's full potential will be of  particular importance for coastal communities.  Sectoral analyses point to significant potential demand for a wide  range of marine products which has niche potential to exploit.  The high quality of our environment and the topography of the  coastal zone also offer significant development potential.  Growth estimates for the marine food, marine tourism and  leisure and marine technology sectors alone project increases in  the order of 50% in turnover and 20% in jobs by 2008.  Development strategies for the sector must be consistent with  sustainability principles. In particular, long-term preservation  and improvement of fish stocks, through careful management  and responsible fishing, is vital for the future of the fishing  industry. Strategies for development of the marine sector must,  therefore, be pursued in accordance with high standards of  environmental protection.  Fine Gael's priorities for the sector include:  The ongoing programmes of investment supported by the  Operation Programme for Fisheries  The formulation, in consultation with the industry, of a strong  case for a more equitable share of available fish resources under  the Common Fisheries Policy.  The exploitation of Ireland's natural advantages for further  growth of the aquaculture industry.  The creation of a strong processing sector characterised by  specialisation and high quality standards.  The implementation of a comprehensive plan for inland salmon  fishing with the objective of conserving, managing and  developing the wild salmon resource on a sustainable basis  The development of a strategy for realising the potential for  growth in marine tourism and leisure  To reduce the cost penalty of Ireland's peripheral location at the  edge of major European markets, by supporting and facilitating  the availability of efficient and competitive shipping and port  services.  The promotion of safety awareness and the effective application  of safety rules and requirements to ensure that marine  emergencies and accidents are prevented.  Small Business and Services (Back to top)  Fine Gael in Government supported Small Business and Service  companies in a manner not previously done by any Government.  In addition to including, for the first time, the representatives of  Small Business in Partnership 2000 talks, Fine Gael agreed  specific support measures to underpin these enterprises. Specific  measures achieved for small businesses and service companies,  included:  The establishment of a £208m., 7 year, 6.5% fixed interest rate  loan scheme.  The establishment of a £60m. Seed and Venture Capital Fund  for small manufacturing companies.  The introduction of a new 28% Corporation Tax on first  £50,000 of profits for non-manufacturing companies.  The reduction of overall Corporation Taxes from 40% to 36%.  The reduction of Employer's PRSI - two-thirds of all jobs were  made subject to a low rate of 8.5% (before the Rainbow  Government all jobs were subject to over 12%).  The creation of one-stop-shops for small business through the  Enterprise Link, and the County Enterprise Boards.  The introduction of a Prompt Payments Bill which requires all  public bodies to pay their bills on time.  The inclusion of service companies to access State supports and  the publication of a Government Strategy Paper on services.  To sustain the growth of Small Business and Service companies  and the historic increase in the number of workers employed by  these businesses, Fine Gael is committed to the continuation of  this vital support. The following specific measures should be  implemented:  A reduction in Corporation Tax to 12.5% for all companies.  The introduction of a new low interest, long-term loan finance  package for 7 and 10 year periods.  The development of a national strategy to ease the administrative  burden, including Government Codes of Practice for  Departments, and small business proofing for all legislation.  The Arts (Back to top)  This Government championed a new vision for the Arts in  Ireland. In addition to supporting the film and music industries,  with a view to increasing employment, this Government adopted  a broader vision to promote our national culture and heritage.  This vision was given practical expression in the Arts Plan set  out by the Arts Council.  Fine Gael is determined to see the continuation of the  development and enhancement of Ireland's rich and diverse  cultural inheritance by developing, in local communities and  nationally, a greater awareness of this inheritance and a wider  participation in the artistic life of our country. In a new  government Fine Gael will review and propose specific actions  to support culturally-driven development projects as well  important new tourist attractions and strategically-sited heritage  centres and museums.  Fine Gael in Government will promote education in the arts as  an integral element of lifelong learning.  Sound Management of the Public Finances in the Era of  Monetary Union (Back to top)  Budgetary Framework 1997-2002  The prosperity which is possible over the next few years - up to  5% annual growth in real GNP - holds out the prospect for  delivering substantial tax reform and reductions, improvements  in services, an assault on unemployment and a tackling of the  problems of disadvantage and exclusion. Fine Gael thus believes  the Government should set itself rigorous but balanced  budgetary targets for tax reform, public expenditure and  reductions in borrowing. But it must also be quite explicit about  the process required to achieve the targets set, especially as  regards public expenditure.  Prudent management of public expenditure means that the  Government must recognise that there severe limits to the scope  for new spending programmes. The Budgetary Framework must  be designed in order:  To fulfil the requirements of EMU and especially the necessity to  target for the elimination of the Government deficit over the  economic cycle ("Stability Pact").  To implement the tax reform and expenditure commitments  under Partnership 2000.  To continue to deliver serious tax reform and reduction for  PAYE workers to ensure fairness and to promote employment  and enterprise.  To continue to invest in public capital infrastructure to underpin  our prosperity.  To recognise that the level of EU Structural Funds must be  renegotiated after 1999 in the light of the accession of new  members and the fact that Ireland already has increased its  income per head above many other EU States.  To ensure adequate funding for the enhancement of public  services, especially in the areas of health, education, social  welfare and in combating crime.  To make adequate contingency provisions for unexpected  expenditure requirements and for a possible growth out-turn  below our expected level of 5%.  Recognising these factors, Fine Gael believes that in sharing the  gains which are possible for all our citizens from a continuation  of prosperity, an appropriate balance should be struck between  tax reform; improvements in services such as policing and  crime, health, education, welfare and other public services. This  balance is a matter of political choice. To achieve this balance  Fine Gael believes the new Government should adopt the  following five-point Budgetary Framework over the next five  years:  Whilst recognising that borrowing in individual years is affected  by cyclical ecnomic factors, Fine Gael asserts that the  Government should aspire to eliminate all Government  borrowing for capital or current purposes. This factor would  condition the entire Budgetary Framework. Within this  constraint the following guidelines should be adhered to:  1.A continued reduction in the percentage of total Government  expenditure (current and capital) relative to GNP.  1.The maintenance of the Public Capital Programme at a level  sufficient to underpin our national competitive advantage and  prosperity.  2.A tax-reform and reduction package for PAYE workers  which builds on Partnership 2000 and extends those  commitments to reward work and enterprise to 2002.  3.The implementation of a number of new public service  programmmes, over and above commitments in Partnership  2000 and the improvement in existing services, will be entirely  conditional on achieving our objectives in relation to the  Government deficit and the Maastricht criteria.  Achieving expenditure control (Back to top)  The adherence to this Budgetary Framework is to a large extent  conditional on successfully controlling the growth in public  expenditure. Government has a responsibility to ensure that  waste and fraud are eliminated and Value for Money (VFM) in  the supply of all services is continuously striven for, and that  spending programmes which have gone past their "sell by date"  are wound up.  The imposition of a spending target helps expenditure control.  We also need to tackle the process of decision-making on public  spending using the best management practices borrowed from  the private sector and from successful approaches implemented  in other countries.  A Fiscal Transparency Act  In government we will bring forward a Fiscal Transparency Act  with the objective of making the implications of government  decisions transparent to the public in terms of the full future  taxation and expenditure consequences of all current decisions.  This legislation will set out a set of basic principles and control  measures which will govern the conduct of decision-making on  fiscal policy, such as:  Setting targets for public debt and deficit levels consistent with  Monetary Union objectives.  Committing Government to guarantee a reasonable degree of  stability and predictability of future tax levels.  Requiring Government to publish medium-term projections with  appropriate sensitivity analysis (5-10 years) at each Budget of  the evolution of the public finances consistent with the Budget  decisions.  Committing Government to publishing information on the public  finances on the basis of committed expenditure rather than on a  cash basis.  Requiring all Government departments and agencies to produce  balance sheets of all their assets and liabilities so that by  establishing the net worth of the State more informed decisions  on the efficient use of State assets can be made.  Pledging Government to pursue a strict financial "envelope"  approach to maintaining overall spending control as opposed to  the traditional "brick by brick" system.  Establishing rigorous procedures for Value for Money (VFM)  evaluations of expenditure in all Government departments along  the lines currently employed for the Structural Funds and other  EU spending. These evaluations would cover not just the ends  and means of Government programmes but would also include  important tasks of Government administration which have  consequences for the level of expenditure such as payments by  the State, the management of public procurement and claims on  Government and large public infrastructure investments. In  regard to the latter Fine Gael believes that more cost effective  public investment programmes can be delivered if a greater role  is invited from the private sector. Fine Gael wants to see the  development and publication of guidelines to encourage private  sector involvement in public investment programmes. All  evaluations would be published and subject to VFM audit.  Establishing productivity targets equal to best practice, on the  basis of unchanged policies, by programme/departmental  expenditure category. Departments should be incentivised to  achieve productivity savings by permitting up to 70% of  productivity savings to be retained for new services or  improvements in existing services in those departments which  have achieved productivity savings, provided these new  expenditures are justified on rigorous VFM grounds.  Requiring all new spending proposals sponsored by individual  departments to specify how the additional expenditure could be  financed.  Fine Gael believes that, as has been shown in other countries,  by enshrining the measures outlined above in law there will be a  requirement for visible application of the various measures.  Managing Our Public Services (Back to top)  There are over 200,000 people employed in our public services.  They make a vital contribution to the well being of the State.  Society depends on the effective and efficient delivery of these  services. The Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) is the most  far-reaching reform of the Public Service since the foundation of  the State. SMI is about improving efficiency but it is also  concerned, as an integral component of the initiative, with  improving the working conditions and career opportunities of  public servants.  The public sector pay bill absorbs about half of total current  spending. It is essential for the coherence of our Budgetary  Framework that the bill is contained within the terms of  Partnership 2000, agreed between the social partners. The single  greatest source of growth in the pay bill in recent years has been  special awards. A recurrence of these awards would undermine  the integrity of Partnership 2000, reduce the Government's  ability to deliver its tax reform package and restrict the efficacy  of the SMI process.  Within the terms of Partnership 2000 for public sector  productivity, the Government should :  Seek simplification of the grade structure in many public  services, so as to improve flexibility, and maximise the  opportunity for delegation of responsibility to the lowest  effective level.  Seek changes in work practices that will improve the service to  the public, e.g. by facilitating opening of certain offices at  weekends or at times when the public can call on them.  Seek changes in work practices, where appropriate, that will  reduce excessive overtime.  Require that the improvements in productivity be identified prior  to the payment of the increase.  We are convinced that substantial improvements in working  conditions can be achieved for all through productivity gains.  Productivity improvements enhance the working environment.  They do not threaten it. The Government wants the public  services to be a place that will, in all circumstances, be enjoyable  to work in. Changes in practices are needed to achieve that. We  will be negotiating, with the social partners, to achieve this.  Managing the Commercial semi-State Assets (Back to top)  Fine Gael believes that the return to the rich stock of Commercial  State-Sponsored Bodies (CSSBs) assets should be maximised  for the benefit of all relevant stakeholders, namely, the  Exchequer, consumers, the workforce and, where relevant, non-  Exchequer holders of equity. Fine Gael supports the  continuation of the "corporatisation" drive among all the  Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies (CSSBs).  "Corporatisation" has worked in companies such as Telecom  Eireann, An Post and Aer Lingus and measures are planned for  Bord na Mona and Aer Rianta. "Corporatisation" requires all  CSSBs to act "as if" they were corporates in the private sector,  by requiring them, within reasonable but strict time periods, to  generate dividends to the Exchequer and commercial returns  consistent with what similar-sized commercial entities would do,  taking account of public service obligations as laid down by the  Government.  Fine Gael wants to see more companies given the freedom to  proceed with strategies designed to achieve these  "corporatisation" objectives (e.g., re-structuring; strategic  alliances; partial public floatations of shares etc.) subject to the  following key provisos:  ¥ Each company should be treated on its merits.  ¥ The State should retain a majority shareholding in CSSBs  unless it is shown that this level of shareholding is actually  impairing the company's capacity to achieve its prescribed  "corporatisation" objective, or, where the State has no clear  strategic objective in retaining a majority of the shares.  ¥ Employees of these companies will be involved on a genuine  partnership basis in any "corporatisation" drive and where sale  of equity is contemplated, a percentage will be set aside for  acquisition by employees through an Employee Share  Ownership Plan (ESOP) in return for a real monetary  consideration.  ¥ Fine Gael would be willing to consider sale of equity or a  public flotation, as part of our "corporatisation" strategy, in the  case of, for example, the TSB, Coillte, the Great Southern  Hotels and IFI. A percentage of the equity would have to be set  aside for an ESOP and we would be anxious that the acquisition  of shares should be spread among the greatest number of people  possible.  The benefits of this approach of "corporatisation" would accrue  not just to the State but also significantly to those working in  State companies. Rather than having the salaries and wages they  earn and the investment decisions they make rigorously  controlled by a Government Department, they should have the  freedom to make as much money as they can on the basis of  achieving profitable results from their work. The whole  programme would be implemented in consultation with  representatives of the employees in each firm.  Delivering Sustainable Tax Reforms and Reductions (Back to  top)  Aims  Fine Gael seeks a tax system that "makes it pay to make a job  and to take a job". We want a system which is fairer and  simpler. We want real tax reform and reductions for all workers.  We firmly believe that the commitments given in Partnership  2000, which covers the period up to 1999, should be delivered  on and to continue the thrust of the agreed tax reductions up to  2002.  Real tax reform and reductions is one of our principal  obsessions. We have two key objectives which we want our tax  system to achieve. First, we want to see the progress made in  recent years in reducing, in a fair way, the amount of money all  taxpayers pay out of their pay packets,to be continued. Second,  we want our tax system to encourage work and enterprise.  Our income tax system is complex. Take-home pay depends on  tax rates, tax bands, allowances, levies and PRSI contributions.  Tackling any one of these factors in isolation is not of itself  sufficient to deliver real and fair tax reductions.  Our view is that the vast majority of PAYE taxpayers are  primarily concerned about the amount of income tax and PRSI  paid out of their total pay packets. We thus believe that in a tax-  reduction programme priority should be given to reducing the  Real Tax Rate, that is, the amount of total income tax and PRSI  deducted from gross income. This would require action in  particular on tax-free allowances and bands. Our general aim is  to see a reduction in the Real Tax Rate for an average earner to at  least 22p in the £ for a single person and 14p for a married  person, (before taking account of any discretionary allowances).  Reducing the burden of taxes on Workers  Our package would reduce the Real Tax Rate - the income tax  and PRSI take expressed as a fraction of income - on the average  income to about 22% for a single person and about 14% for a  married person. This is the rate which really matters to  taxpayers.  The achievement of these objectives would involve five key  commitments:  ¥ Increase tax free allowances  To raise the level of allowances towards the present exemption  limits, that is, to increase tax free allowances from £2,900  (single)/£5,800 (married) to £4,400 (single)/£8,800 (married)  by 2002. This objective will benefit all earner s but particularly  middle and lower income workers. It will promote employment  creation. It will remove the poverty traps inherent in the present  Marginal Relief System.  ¥ Widen standard rate tax bands  To widen the tax bands so that, in conjunction with the increased  tax allowances, no taxpayer will pay tax at the top rate on a  single penny if their total gross income is less than the average  industrial wage in 2002 which we expect by then to be around  £17,000. This target confronts the real problem with our tax  system which is that too many taxpayers begin paying tax at the  top rate on modest incomes.  ¥ Reduce Employee PRSI  To reduce the full-rate of employee PRSI .  ¥ Cut the top rate of Income Tax  To cut the top rate of income tax from 48% to 45% over the  period of Government; this and our commitment on PRSI are  part of a reforming package which would address marginal rates  of taxation to encourage people to take on extra responsibilities  at work.  ¥ Dismantle Health and Employment Levies  To begin the process of dismantling the Health and Employment  levies, which add 2.25% to the marginal tax rate, should be  initiated through substantially raising the liability threshold from  £10,250 at present towards the average industrial wage by 2002.  These measures are fair and balanced. They would principally  benefit people on middle to low incomes. They would give  single persons, in particular, who are taking up employment for  the first time a very real break. They would also help create jobs  because we know low-income employment is more responsive  to changes in wage costs and wage incomes than high-income  employment. And these measures underline our basic  commitment to sharing prosperity.  Between 1994 and 1997, the tax burden, for a single person on  average earnings, has been cut by five percentage points and by  four points for a married person on the same income. The actual  overall tax burden on workers fell by only three points for a  single person and by only two points for a married person  between 1989 and 1992.  Because of targeted reductions in tax burdens, which  proportionately benefit middle and low-income taxpayers more,  a single worker on average earnings in 1997 had to work the  best part of a month less to discharge his or her tax and PRSI  obligations compared with the period 1989-1992.  Reducing the burden of enterprise taxes (Back to top)  ¥ Reduce Corporation Tax  In the medium term we want to see a single rate of Corporation  Tax of 12.5% on all corporations. Actions should be  simultaneously taken to clawback some of the windfall gains for  non-traded services in particular, and to combat potential abuse.  This decisive measure would underscore our attractiveness as a  location for mobile international capital, support our indigenous  industry, allow us to continue our job creation record of almost  1,000 jobs per week since 1994 and to halve the total  unemployment rate to below 6% and the long-term rate to 3.5%  within the next ten years.  ¥ Reduce Employer PRSI  We will also continue to reduce employer PSRI by focusing  mainly on raising the ceiling for the 8.5% rate.  Specific Tax Reduction Measures for Elderly People and Young  Persons (Back to top)  Increase income tax exemption limits for the elderly  Over the term of the new government the incom-tax Exemption  limits and allowances for pensioners will be increased in line  with our commitments to improve the generalexemption and  allowances levels. For persons aged between 65 and 75 we will  seek to increase the Exemption limits from £4,600  (single)/£9,200 (married to £5,200 (single)/£10,400 (married).  For persons over 75, the limits will be raised from £5,200  (single)/£10,400 (married to £5,200 (single)/£11,800 (married)  Increase tax free-allowances for the elderly  The age tax free allowance for persons over will be increased  from£400 (single)/£800 (married) to £1000 (single)/ £2000  (married. We l also call for the introduction of a new higher age  allowance for the over 75s. Thus in the next budget, we will  bring forward a proposal for an enhanced age allowance of £500  (single)/£1000 (married) for persons aged over 75. This  allowance will be progressively raised to £1,100 (single)/  £2,200 (married) over the new term of government.  These improvements in the age allowances when combined with  our commitments in relation to general allowances will mean that  the tax-free allowance for persons aged between 65 and 75 will  rise from £3,300 (single)/£6,600 (married) by 2002. For  persons over 75 years of age, their tax free allowance will be  increased from £3,300 (single)/£6,600 (married) to £5,500  (single)/£11,000 (married) by 2002  Enhance tax treatment of surviving spouses  Fine Gael believes that all persons with dependent children who  become widowed should retain the full married person's tax-free  allowance and bands. For a person without dependants they  should, retain entitlement to these deductions for a two-year  period following the year of bereavement.  Enhanced PRSI-free allowance for under 23s  Fine Gael advocated special exemptions from Employers' PRSI  for employees aged under 23 in the Programme for the Rainbow  Government. This was implemented. As a further measure to  ease entry into employment we would double the existing  Employee PRSI-free allowance for all people under 23 years old  who are taking up their first full-time job. They would retain this  benefit for a two-year period. This means that the first £160 of  weekly earnings would be completely free of Employee PRSI  deductions.  Incentivising occupational pensions  Only 46% of those at work have occupational pensions. Without  occupational pensions, these employees, on retirement, will  have only the contributory old age pension of the Department of  Social Welfare to rely on. While this will provide for basic  needs, we would like to encourage more younger people to take  out pension cover. We would therefore introduce a special  additional tax incentive for employees, under the age of thirty  who take out and maintain a private pension scheme either on  their own or in conjunction with their employer.  A New Social Contract With The Unemployed (Back to top)  Aims  We want to see substantial reductions in the level of  unemployment and especially long-term unemployment which  lies at the root of poverty and social exclusion over the next five  years. Fine Gael believes that the successful achievement of this  objective would come about through the continuation of our  economic prosperity underpinned by the policies adopted by this  government.  A carefully constructed strategy is required based on several  planks - taxation, education, welfare and direct employment  creation. We want to see our employment support and welfare  policies transformed so that no person who becomes  unemployed is condemned to a permanent existence on welfare.  Permanent welfare is destructive of the individuals concerned,  and creates alienation from society, and attendant ills such as  crime and illicit drug taking. It wastes the single most important  resource we have as an economy which is people who are  willing and able to work.  Our new social contract with the unemployed is, as set out in  Partnership 2000, ".....based on the reciprocal obligations of  society to provide decent incomes and worthwhile supports in  job seeking for the unemployed, and of the unemployed to seek  and accept reasonable employment, development and training  opportunities".  The State's Obligations To The Unemployed (Back to top)  Fine Gael commits itself to seeking improvements in the scale  and quality of State-sponsored services to the unemployed. The  resources to fund this pledge are accounted for in our Budgetary  Framework in so far as they are consistent with Partnership  2000 and would be supplemented by savings arising from the  continued fall in unemployment levels and from the successful  progression of anti-fraud measures.  ¥ Ensure minimum social welfare payments  Fine Gael wants to see the minimum rates of social welfare  payments,as recommended by the Commission on Social  Welfare, implemented by the end of 1999. Thereafter payments  should be improved consistent with the avoidance of any labour  market distortions.  ¥ Make work attractive  Taxation burdens on workers should be reduced in such a way  as to maximise the attractiveness of working and gains should be  biased towards reducing the burden on middle to low-income  earners.  ¥ Improve the Family Income Supplement  Fine Gael believes the Family Income Supplement (FIS) is an  excellent means of improving the returns from low-income  employment. It encourages people with families to choose work  over welfare. There are problems with the operation of FIS  which render it much less effective in this regard that what it  might be.  First, because FIS is withdrawn as gross income increases  means that the take-home pay of a worker on FIS doesn't  increase much over a large range of modest income levels. In  other words, poverty traps are created. The incentive for people  on FIS to earn more income by taking up a better paid job or  working overtime is reduced. This may also discourage some  married people, who are unemployed from taking up  employment. Fine Gael calls for the tackling of this particular  deficiency in FIS by relating payments to net income.  The second concern, is that only a third of people who would  appear to be entitled to FIS are actually taking up the payment.  The reasons for this low take up may be inadequate awareness  or a perceived stigma associated with the measure. Steps need to  be taken to ensure that everyone who qualifies gets the FIS.  Unless these steps are taken, this scheme will be less effective in  incentivising work than it might be. Therefore, we propose that  the feasibility of having the supplement paid as a tax credit  should be examined, direct to the employee through his  employer on an automatic basis. This would get rid of the  problems associated with low take up. It would significantly  increase the incentive to work. If feasible, FIS could be replaced  by a Refundable Work Tax Credit. The scheme would operate  by crediting what the person gets under FIS against their tax bill.  Where there is no tax liability the person in question would  simply get a refund from Revenue.  The take-up rate under the administration of FIS in this way  should be increased because payment would be automatic.  ¥ Establish the National Employment Service  A revamped National Employment Service should provide a  nationwide integrated service for the unemployed. The service is  based on the successful operation of the Local Employment  Service. It will offer unemployed people a pro-active, high  quality, highly intensive, and individual-based job counselling  and advisory service, initially, for the most disadvantaged  groups as set out in Partnership 2000. The Service will refer  people to other agencies for training, and job placement as  appropriate.  We already have a wide range of direct job-support programmes  in place which are achieving success, e.g., Community  Employment (CE) and the Conference of Religious of Ireland's  (CORI) schemes which provide direct employment to over  40,000 persons; the Back to Work Allowance which permits an  unemployed person who takes up a job or becomes self  employed to retain unemployment payments for a period of time  at a reducing level plus other non-cash benefits which he would  have had when unemployed such as the Medical Card; Jobstart  which provides a subsidy of £80 per week for an employer to  take on a person who has been unemployed for three years or  more, etc. These measures will be subject to on-going  examination and review. We see two worthwhile specific  modifications to these programmes.  First, the Service should work with FAS to offer special short  courses (1-2 weeks) in job application/search and  interview/presentation targeted to people who have been  unemployed for at least 12 months.  Second, for the State to credibly expect the unemployed to  accept reasonable employment opportunities it must provide a  job guarantee. Community Employment, CORI and other  measures should play a critical role in this regard. The evidence  from other countries suggests that the existence of a guarantee  like what we propose would be successful.  The cost of introducing an open-ended guarantee for all long-  term unemployed people would be prohibitive in the initial years  but we believe it is worth introducing this guarantee for persons  under 25 who have been unemployed for at least a year. This  would serve as a pilot before considering any extension of the  guarantee to all long-term unemployed people.  Reciprocal Commitment of Unemployed People (Back to top)  When an unemployed person qualifies for unemployment  benefit/assistance, and registers with the National Employment  Service, they should become entitled to avail of, and tap into, the  full resources of the Service.  The National Employment Service should pro-actively work  with each individual client, through intensive counselling, in  order to identify and agree the best pathway to work in terms of  training, job placement etc. tailored to the individual  circumstances of the unemployed person.  It is the obligation of the State to provide worthwhile  employment supports and of the unemployed person to seek and  accept reasonable employment, development and training  opportunities.  FAMILY AND HEALTH  POLICIES ON FAMILY & HEALTH  PHILOSOPHY  For Fine Gael, family and community encapsulate a way of life  which we value highly. Growing urbanisation and technological  change place stress on the family. Purposeful Government  actions can help and enhance our attachment to the family and  the wider community.  So what did we do in Government?  1. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AND CARING FOR  CHILDREN  (Back to top)  Tax and Social Welfare  Families are deliberately favoured in our taxation and social  welfare systems. The last Fine Gael-led Government put more  financial resources at the disposal of families through targeted  tax and PRSI cuts and through the dramatic increases in Child  Benefit. Indeed many of our policies in areas such as tackling  unemployment, drug addiction, and education, directly  benefitted families.  Commission on the Family  We established an Oireachtas Committee on the Family and a  Commission on the Family which will assist in devising  strategies for the renewal and protection of family as the life  pulse of Irish society.  Family Mediation  We expanded the Family Mediation Services and a second centre  been opened in Limerick. We also increased three-fold the  funding of marriage counselling services.  2. SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN DIFFICULTIES (Back to  top)  First Minister for Children  Fine Gael in Government appointed the first Minister for  Children. The appointment of a Minister for State at the  Departments of Education, Health and Justice has played a  significant role in developing much improved services for the  care of children.  Cabinet Committee on Children's Services  A Cabinet Committee on Children's Services was established.  This committee comprises the Ministers for Justice, Health,  Education, Social Welfare and Equality and Law Reform. This  committee will ensure that services for children, by the State, are  a high level priority of Government.  Child Benefit  In Government, Fine Gael increased Child Benefit for the first  two children by 50% and by 60% for all subsequent children.  1995 Family Law Bill  The Family Law Act 1995 strengthens the law in relation to  orders of the court for financial support of spouses and children  following a judicial separation.  Constitutional Ban on Divorce  Unfortunately, marriages break down. Fine Gael in  Government set about giving people a second chance - a chance  to re-marry. We held a successful Constitutional Referendum on  Divorce. The 1996 Family Law (Divorce) Act gave legislative  effect to the people's amendment.  Domestic Violence Laws  The 1996 Domestic Violence Act has strengthened the power of  the courts to make orders protecting people from violence in the  home. It extends that protection to cohabitants and strengthens  the powers of arrest of Gardai to intervene in domestic disputes.  Maintenance Payments  The Maintenance Act was adopted which enables the United  Nations Convention on the Recovery Abroad of Maintenance  Payments to enter into force between Ireland and 52 other  contracting states.  Adoptive Leave  The 1995 Adoptive Leave Act provides a statutory right to  adoptive leave for working mothers and, in certain  circumstances, fathers.  Child Care Act  Fine Gael in Government fully implemented the Child Care  Act. This greatly strengthens the powers of the Gardai, Health  Boards and Courts to intervene to protect children from abuse  and neglect. Since 1993, the Government approved over 900  additional staff to child-care services.  Children's Bill  The Children's Bill,has been published and the main  provisions, when enacted, will ensure that the juvenile justice  system will be placed on a modern statutory basis. It also  ensures that parental and family responsibility for children in  trouble with the law will be actively promoted through family  conferences and other measures. The international scourge of  child pornography has been outlawed in Ireland and the Garda'  have greater powers to deal with this matter.  3. CARING FOR OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS (Back to top)  Fine Gael, in Government introduced pro-rata pensions for  people with yearly average of between 10 and 20 PRSI  contributions.  extended the period for which arrears are paid in late claims  from 6 to 12 months.  Improved the method of assessing capital/savings for recipients  of the Old Age Non-Contributory Pension, Widow's and  Widower's Non-Contributory Pension and Pre-Retirement  Allowance.  exempted from an Old Age Pensioner's Means  Test the rental income from a person living with that pensioner .  allowed dependent spouses to retain entitlement to Dental and  Optical Treatment Benefits when they qualify for Old Age  Pension in their own right.  refunded the pension element of self-employed PRSI  contributions to people who entered insurance after age 56 and  had earlier PRSI contributions.  allowed all pensioners over age 75 a Free Electricity  Allowance and Free Telephone Rental Allowance regardless of  their household circumstances.  extended the age limit for Free Telephone Rental Allowance  from 18 to 22 for children in full-time education and resident  with the Old Age Pensioner.  extended the definition of who may reside with a recipient of  Free Telephone Rental Allowance to include persons with a  handicap  extended free Telephone Rental Allowance to a pensioner  where constant care and attention is being provided to that  pensioner (or to any other member of the household) by another  person resident with the pensioner (including recipients of  Carer's Allowance).  provided additional resources to grant aid security of the  elderly.  4. IMPROVING OUR HEALTH SERVICE (Back to top)  Fine Gael in government, has:  Reduced Hospital Waiting Lists  Hospital waiting lists were significantly reduced with Fine Gael  in Government. We spent £8 million in 1995, £12m in 1996 and  another £8m in the first half of 1997, resulting in a reduction of  over 10,000 people on waiting lists. By early 1997 we had cut  that number to under 26,000.  opened up the private health insurance market.  Choice and competition are now a reality in the private health  insurance market for the first time with the emergence of BUPA  onto the market. While enabling this to come about, we also  ensured that the fundamental principle of Community Rating is  guaranteed.  launched a plan for the development of our health services for  women.  The Women's Health Plan, put together after an extensive  consultation process, addressse the particular health issues of  concern to women and aims to ensure that these are dealt with  throughout the Irish Health Service. Key components in creating  a quality, women-friendly health service included the  establishment of a Women's Health Council with similarly  structured bodies in each Health Board, the development of a  national screening programme for Breast Cancer and a national  screening programme for Cervical Cancer.  published a plan on Physical and Sensory Disability.  People who are affected by various physical and sensory  disabilities such as those who are wheelchair bound, or those  who suffer from blindness or deafness, have long awaited the  publication of a plan for the development of these services. The  report of the Review Group on Persons with Physical and  Sensory Disability,published by the Rainbow Government in  December 1996, provided such a plan. The development of  these services has been enhanced by an extra £3.6m in 1997.  Regional co-ordinating committees were being put in place while  the process of compiling a definitive database of people in need  of these services was begun.  established a National Intellectual Disability Database.  In each of its 3 budgets, the Rainbow Coalition provided  significant extra monies to fund improved services for those  who are mentally handicapped. For the first time we now have a  National Intellectual Disability Database which provides a list of  named persons who require either new or improved services.  The Database highlighted, in particular, the urgent additional  requirements for residential care as mentally disabled people are  surviving longer and their parents, as they grow older, require  extra support. Respite care opportunities for carers and adequate  educational and transport resources need to be enhanced as a  matter of urgency.  Each year since coming to Office the Rainbow Government  devoted significant additional resources to develop services for  mentally handicapped persons and their families. In 1997 an  extra £12 million was allocated to provide additional residential,  daycare and respite places.  The Drugs Problem  Heroin addiction, particularly in the greater Dublin area, and the  rapidly increasing prevalence throughout the country of so-called  soft drugs such as ecstasy are problems which required and got  an immediate and co-ordinated response from Fine Gael in  Government.  The need to reduce the demand for these drugs is being targeted  in many ways: waiting lists for methadone maintenance were  dramatically reduced; extra detoxification and rehabilitation  facilities were provided; additional investment was put into drug  awareness programmes aimed at young people; a special  committee of Ministers of State was set up to concentrate on  Demand Reduction Measures. £14m has been allocated in 1997  for a series of measures recommended by their first report.  These measures recognised that reducing demand for drugs  requires a complex, integrated approach at community level  combined with a need to tackle the social factors which give rise  to drug addiction.  launched the first National Plan for Cancer Services.  In the past, Irish Cancer Services have developed in a largely  ad-hoc fashion with many areas of the country having little or no  service. This will change following the adoption and launch, in  November 1996, of the first nationwide Action Plan for Cancer.  A budget allocation of £6m enabled the first phase to be  implemented. A key feature in ensuring that all regions have an  appropriate level of service was the appointment, at consultant  level, of a Director of Cancer Services in each Health Board  area. In addition, significant extra resources were provided for  Hospice Care.  "So what would we do in Goverment?" (Back to top)  The Fine Gael Millennium Pledge - supporting families and  improving healthcare  The government must support the family. The family is the  institution which best provides care, nurture and love for  children, for the elderly and for the incapacitated. Changes in  society such as the growth of individualism and secularisaton,  urbanisation, technological change, changing work practices and  changed gender roles are placing some families under pressure.  In some instances impairing their capacity to provide adequate  care for family members in need.  The Government must start by ensuring that none of the State's  policies make it financially attractive for family units to break up.  The State should endeavour to support families by targeted  interventions which address stress points in the family lifecycle.  It should support initiatives for pre-school child care; for care of  mentally and physically incapacitated family members; and for  assisting the elderly and their families to provide for long-term  care needs.  HELPING FAMILIES (Back to top)  appoint A Minister of State for Family Affairs  In the modern world, families are placed under increasing  stress. The issues which give rise to these stresses, cross over  several aspects of Government including taxation, social  welfare, health, education, justice and law reform. Because of  the breadth of issues which arise and because of our  commitment to the family, Fine Gael will appoint a Minister of  State for Family Affairs.  Re-examinethe Unemployment Assistance Parental Means  Test  Fine Gael is concerned that the operation of the Unemployment  Assistance parental means test and the availability of rent  allowances can sometimes act to encourage young people to  leave the family home prematurely, thereby fracturing the family  unit. The treatment of the young person as an individual in his or  her own right is an important principle, but our aim will be to  ensure that there is no artificial incentive encouraging young  people to leave home.  SUPPORTING THE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN (Back to  top)  Increasingly both parents are working full-time. This trend is set  to continue and will have profound consequences for the way  society organises itself, particularly in caring for children. Men  and women are responding to the challenges presented by  combining paid work and family responsibilities, and the State  should help them. That means giving practical support to job  sharing and encouraging parental leave.  A New Parents' Childcare Supplement  Fine Gael is fully committed to State financial supports for child-  care. This is done primarily through universal Child Benefit  payments, which the Rainbow Government increased by up to  60%. The costs of child-rearing are also explicitly recognised in  our social welfare code, through additional payments for  children in the rates of Unemployment Benefits/Assistance and  Family Income Supplement. What characterises these payments  is that they are paid to families regardless of whether child-care  is paid for or is freely provided from within the family's own  time and resources. State support is child centred and thus  neutrality exists between families which buy in childcare, and  those who provide it from their own resources. The principle of  neutrality and fairness is one which Fine Gael fully supports.  We believe a further initiative is required to provide real  additional child-care support to families. Fine Gael proposes that  a Parents' Childcare Supplement of £300 per child per annum,  for children up to the age of five inclusive, be introduced on a  phased basis and paid through the existing Child Benefit  Scheme. In 1998, the supplement should be paid in respect of 1  and 2 year olds and in 1999 it should be paid for all children up  to 5 years of age, inclusive.  Establish an Ombudsman for children  We call for the establishment of an independent Office of  Ombudsman for Children with statutory powers to promote aand  protect the rights of children.  Implement Childcare sections of Partnership 2000  Fine Gael is determined to see a speedy implementation of the  commitments given in Partnership 2000 in relation to childcare.  Specifically we want: the relevant section of the 1991 Child Care  Act which covers the regulation of safety and health standards in  pre-school services implemented ; a national registration system  for childcarers established; a nationally recognised system of  certification and accreditation for childcare workers providing  for an appropriate minimum qualification.  While we support the vigorous pursuit of high standards, at the  same time we don't want to see well-run creches having to close  or rates to be raised substantially because of overly bureaucratic  standards.  Exempt Childcare from VAT  Fine Gael believes that all childcare services are inherently  educational in character and that it is not possible to construct a  meaningful distinction between caring and educational services.  Thus we believe that childcare services should be completely  exempt from Value Added Tax.  Increase the supply of Quality Childcare Services  A real problem which many families, but especially those in  rural areas, face is an insufficient supply of quality childcare  services. To address this problem we want to see the various  local development agencies being actively encouraged to support  community and private provision of childcare services in co-  operation with Fás and the Health Boards. An EU funded pilot  project undertaken by Limerick County Enterprise Board and  which involves a joint community-based facility for children and  the elderly, could serve as a model.  A BETTER DEAL FOR OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS (Back to  top)  Increase income tax exemption limits for the elderly  Over the term of the new government the incom-tax Exemption  limits and allowances for pensioners will be increased in line  with our commitments to improve the generalexemption and  allowances levels. For persons aged between 65 and 75 we will  seek to increase the Exemption limits from £4,600  (single)/£9,200 (married to £5,200 (single)/£10,400 (married).  For persons over 75, the limits will be raised from £5,200  (single)/£10,400 (married to £5,200 (single)/£11,800 (married)  Increase tax free-allowances for the elderly  The age tax free allowance for persons over will be increased  from£400 (single)/£800 (married) to £1000 (single)/ £2000  (married. We l also call for the introduction of a new higher age  allowance for the over 75s. Thus in the next budget, we will  bring forward a proposal for an enhanced age allowance of £500  (single)/£1000 (married) for persons aged over 75. This  allowance will be progressively raised to £1,100 (single)/  £2,200 (married) over the new term of government.  These improvements in the age allowances when combined with  our commitments in relation to general allowances will mean that  the tax-free allowance for persons aged between 65 and 75 will  rise from £3,300 (single)/£6,600 (married) by 2002. For  persons over 75 years of age, their tax free allowance will be  increased from £3,300 (single)/£6,600 (married) to £5,500  (single)/£11,000 (married) by 2002  Enhance tax treatment of surviving spouses  Fine Gael believes that all persons with dependent children who  become widowed should retain the full married person's tax-free  allowance and bands. For a person without dependants they  should retain entitlement to these deductions for a two-year  period following the year of bereavement.  Health Care Provision for Eldery People  All elderly people over the age of 65 should be entitled to a free  medical checkup by their GP every year. We would also extend  eligibility for Medical Cards to all persons over 75. We would  examine ways of ensuring that spectacles and dentures are more  readily available to the over 65s.  Day-care and Residential Centres for the Elderly  We would put in place an enhanced capital programme to  develop day care and residential centres for older people.  Special House Repair Grants for the Elderly  We would review the present scheme of special housing repair  grants for the elderly which is funded by the Department of the  Environment with a view to make the scheme more responsive  to the needs of the elderly.  FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR HEALTH SERVICE  (Back to top)  Health care is a major preoccupation for all families. We are  fortunate that, in Ireland, we have a public health-care service  which provides not only top-quality care but also compares  favourably with anywhere else in the world. There is of course  always room for improvement.  Waiting Lists  We believe that the reduction of waiting lists should continue to  be prioritised. On a phased basis we favour the introduction of a  programme to ensure that the waiting period for operations for  hip replacements, cataracts, cardiac, and gynaecological  procedures varicose veins and ear, nose and throat (ENT)  procedures for children would be dramatically cut. Fine Gael  feels that there should be a maximum waiting period of no more  than six months, from the time of GP referral to the time when  the patient is operated on.  We want to see the maximum waiting period for cardiac and  varicose vein treatment be no more than 12 months.  Services for the Physically Disabled  The "Report of the Review Group on Services for People with  Physical and Sensory Disabilities" has been considered by an  Inter-Departmental Taskforce set up to look at implementation of  the wider report published by the Commission on the Status of  People with Disabilities. We support the implementation of this  blueprint as the basis for a radical improvement in services such  as day care, respite, sheltered workshop, residential, personal  assistance and other services.  Nursing Commission  A Commission, chaired by Judge Mella Carroll has undertaken a  root and branch review of nursing in Ireland. We believe that its  recommendations should be implemented while a similar review  of the paramedical professions should also be undertaken.  Hepatitis C  The infection from the blood supply of many Irish women and  men with Hepatitis C is one of the greatest disasters in the  history of the Irish health system.  Monitoring and re-assessment,on an ongoing basis, of the health  care requirements and other needs of those who have been  diagnosed as positive for Hepatitis C virus/antibodies should be  continued. This should be with a view to ensuring that the  necessary support services are provided to meet their needs.  Investment in research should also be continued .  Strategic Partner for the VHI  Over 1.4 million people are members of the VHI. The  continued strength of this organisation, in the face of competitive  pressures, must be ensured. Accordingly Fine Gael urges that  the company forge a strategic alliance with an appropriate  partner. Community Rating should also remain as a core  principle in the Health Insurance Market.  Minister of State for Public Health  We believe that a Minister of State at the Department of Health  who will have responsibility for Public Health issues including  Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Health Promotion, and the Irish  Medicine Boards, should be appointed. The Minister should also  have responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the  Taskforce on Suicide.  Mental Health Bill  Legislation governing Mental Health and Mental Health  institutions is significantly out of date. This legislation should be  updated through the publication of a Mental Health Bill.  Structural Reform  The Department of Health and Children should be renamed as  the "Department of Health and Personal Social Services" to  reflect the growing significance of these services. An Eastern  Health Authority with responsibility for all services in the  Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare should replace the present Eastern  Health Board. The question of representation of Voluntary  Bodies on the Health Boards must be dealt with while a pilot  scheme to introduce Boards of Management in a number of  Health Board hospitals should be set up.  High Quality Blood Supply  A secure, high quality blood supply is vital for the Irish hospital  service. A radical reform of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service  should be initiated by, among other measures, implementing the  recommendations of the Finlay Tribunal. Resources should also  be provided for the development of a new state of the art  headquarters for the BTSB. As many Irish people travel to  Europe either to work, for business or on holidays, work at  European Union level should be undertaken to achieve this  objective.  Mental Handicap Plan  We are committed to a plan for the development of services of  the Mentally handicapped based on the National Intellectual  Disabilities Database. This would comprehensively address the  needs of carers and handicapped people over a five year period.  Action Plan for Cancer Services  Cancer is among the three major causes of death in the Under 65  Age Group in Ireland. We are committed to seeing the full  implementation of the remaining phases of the National Cancer  Strategy. This would reorganise treatment services on a regional  basis with three supra-regional services in Dublin, Cork and  Galway for the more highly specialised treatments. The shortage  of specialist oncology services outside the Dublin area would be  eliminated, specialist palliative care services would be developed  on a phased basis and a Cancer Research Unit would be  established within the Health Research Board.  Women's Health Plan  Full implementation of the plan to develop our health services  for women is a core objective. The current targetted Breast  Screening Programme and a Cervical Screening Programme  must be available on a nationwide basis.  A BETTER DEAL FOR CARERS (Back to top)  Families and individuals who provide care for their loved ones  are deserving of State support. The State also saves on not  having to provide residential care in many cases. To give a  practical edge to our support for carers we propose a number of  specific initiatives.  Carer's Allowance  We support the introduction of a Severe Dependency Premium  on top of existing payments for carers who are caring for  persons on the verge of needing residential care. We also favour  an earnings disregard for carers and the unduly restrictive full-  time commitments on carers should be relaxed.  Monitor Care Facilities  The proposed Social Services Inspectorate should have a role in  the registration and inspection of long-term care facilities.  Examine introduction of a Partial Equity  Release Insurance (PERI) scheme  We believe it is time to take a serious look at a Partial Equity  Release Insurance (PERI) scheme to be run either by the private  sector or in partnership with the State as a means of funding  long-term care for elderly people.  Such a scheme would be based on the fact that many elderly  people are asset rich but income poor when it comes to meeting  the high cost of long-term care. A person taking out PERI  insurance would have no outlay upfront but would agree with  the insurer that following the individual's death the first claim  on the deceased's estate would be held by the insurance agency.  This claim would more than likely be in terms of a percentage of  the asset value.  A degree of State support may be necessary to establish PERIs  both to reassure potential insurees and to attract investors  interested in long-term returns. It may also be necessary to  introduce appropriate consumer legislation to protect the insuree.  Incentives for the elderly to participate in PERIs may also be  warranted. The option of recouping any Stamp Duty paid on the  sale of a deceased persons property to the estate of that deceased  person should also be examined.  Extensive System of Respite Care  A more extensive system of respite care and "breakaway"  services for carers and the caring families should be promoted  through the health boards.Persons who look after elderly  dependants at home should be enabled to have mid-week  breaks, week-end breaks and holidays.  Tax Allowances for Paid In-Home Nursing Care  The existing personal tax allowance for paid in-home nursing  care should be improved and we also urge a relaxation of the  regulations, subject to satisfactory anti-avoidance measures,  governing the coverage of the present allowance to permit  siblings to avail of the concession when the recipient of the care  is a parent or another sibling.  Summary  Fine Gael has pro-actively promoted a caring approach to  Families, Children, our Elderly and the health Service. Fine  Gael has significantly reduced hospital waiting lists, given  people option for private health cover, developed strong health  policies for women and also for persons with physical and  intellectual disabilities, tackled the drugs problem and launched  the first National Plan for Cancer Services. Fine Gael cares for  people.  EDUCATION  POLICIES ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING  POLICIES ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING  OUR PHILOSOPHY  Fine Gael has long believed that educating our young people to  compete in a rapidly changing world has to be a priority. We  also need to prioritise the importance of continuing education.  However, in order to do both of these, it is essential that our  education system constantly adapts to external changes. The  education system at all levels offers the single greatest  opportunity for Ireland to build a talented workforce which is  able to compete on the international stage.  We are now reaping the benefits of the far-seeing decision in the  1960s to abolish fees for second-level education. This has  resulted in a direct contribution to our growth performance by  producing a skilled and adaptable workforce. But this decision  has also indirectly advanced our prosperity by being one of the  pivotal factors attracting foreign investment to this country.  It is perhaps fitting that 30 years agyter free second level  education was introduced this Governmetn abolished fees for  third level undergraduate courses.  Fine Gael believes that it is essential to view education and  training as complementary. A sound education at primary,  second and third level should provide all students with a  grounding in the fundamental and enduring elements of all  knowledge. Training, which involves either learning by  instruction or "learning by doing" provides for the needs of the  present, while education provides for the needs which may arise  in the future. A sound basic education early in life,  supplemented by constant re-training, provides a platform for  lifelong learning. A judicious balance between education and  training is thus required to advance prosperity both for  individuals and for the nation.  So what did we do? (Back to top)  1. Cut the Primary School Pupil - Teacher Ratio  A key factor affecting the quality of the education our children  receive is the number of pupils each teacher has in his or her  classroom. The Rainbow Government cut that average number  from 25 to 22. That means better education for all our children,  and more time for teachers to concentrate on children who need  special help.  2. Launched a new programme called Breaking the Cycle  Breaking the Cycle, an innovative programme which involves  highly targeted interventions in 50 Primary schools located in  disadvantaged areas with the objective of combating  disadvantage, was established. Class sizes were reduced in these  schools to 15 pupils for every teacher. The results from this  initiative should have important implications for how the  problem of educational disadvantage is tackled over the new  Government's term.  3. Abolished third-level fees  We abolished third-level fees which were causing great hardship  to many middle-income families and denying access to many  children to this sector. This means that on average families will  save £1,500 for every child at college each year.  4. National Sports Strategy  We launched a National Sports Strategy which commits the  Government to an additional expenditure of £1.6 million in each  year up to the Millennium to improve the place of sport in all  our lives.  5. Education Bill  The Education Bill devolves the provision of educational  services to Regional level. It would have established Boards of  Management in all schools in receipt of public funding and  would have placed the Department of Education's Inspectorate  on a statutory basis. This Inspectorate would be charged with  helping schools to plan change. It would have improved the  quality of our educational services for our children. The bill will  give a greater voice to parents.  6. Universities Act  We enacted the most radical piece of legislation in the  universities' sector for nearly a century. This will make  universities more accountable to the public, to parents, to  students and to the wider community, and thus make them more  responsive to the needs of society.  The Fine Gael Millenium Pledge for Education and Training  Every 12 year old should be able to read, write, have a basic  command of maths and science, log on to the internet, speak a  continental language; every 17 year old should have a  satisfactory performance in at least the Junior Certificate; every  school leaver, should, at the very minimum, have achieved a  Post Leaving Certificate qualification; and every adult irish  person should be encouraged to keep on learning for their entire  lifetime  Fine Gael has six policy goals it will strive to achieve during the  lifetime of the Millenium Government. They are to:  1. Emphasise the education of the whole person  2. Create a responsive education system.  3. Increase participation and improve performance levels.  4. Deepen the quality of our education system.  5. Encourage more continuing education and training.  6. Upgrade the quality and relevance of training courses.  1. EDUCATION OF THE WHOLE PERSON (Back to top)  A sound well-rounded education calls for an approach which  emphasises the education of the whole person. The role of non-  academic activities should have a prominent and valued place in  the curriculum of schools so as to promote the social, cultural,  personal and physical development of young people.The  provision of these activities in our school system should be  evaluated with a view to significantly enhancing their delivery.  In this regard the role of Guidance and Counselling services  should also be developed.  In respect of physical activity we believe that active involvement  in sports play an important role in the formation of the young  person. Fine Gael calls for the implementation of a key  recommendation of the Sports Strategy Group by creating a  Cabinet place for sport in order to elevate sports to a central  place in Government activity.  2. CREATING A RESPONSIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM  (Back to Top)  Supporting diverse management structures  We believe diversity of management structures is a quality which  is intrinsically valuable in our educational system. Fine Gael  sees the promotion of a statutory basis for parental involvement  in the Education Bill as a major advance on the existing  situation. Fine Gael believes there must be extensive  consultation with the education partners before any new  management structures are put in place.  Involve the business community in third level institutions  An effective way to upgrade responsiveness is to involve the  wider community, at both local and national level, in third level  course planning and review. Third-level institutions need to be  capable of flexibly responding to the needs of the economy  without compromising academic standards. The management of  colleges must anticipate developments in the job market place  and respond speedily by adapting their teaching programmes.  Of course, academic institutions must look beyond the  immediate requirements of business for graduates with skills  "of the moment", and provide for longer term needs too. The  procedures laid down for assessment of performance in the  Universities' legisaltion will provide additional checks and  improve the level of responsiveness.  Using educational resources as community resources  Fine Gael believes our educational institutions need to be  responsive to local need in terms of the use of educational  resources. The logistical, insurance and other issues involved in  making school and college facilities such as sports grounds,  class rooms and assembly halls available to local communities  should be examined.  .  3. INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND IMPROVE  PERFORMANCE LEVELS (Back to top)  All the international and national evidence shows that investment  in education is the best investment an individual can make either  for themselves or for their children. It is a tragedy, therefore,  that each year about 13,000 students either drop out from  second-level without qualification, or perform poorly in State  examinations. Many of these children face a future of  unemployment and are often placed at social risk.  International evidence suggests there are important inter-  generational and "neighbourhood" effects which influence  educational choices. Even seeing one member of a particular  family successfully complete second level school, or seeing one  18- year old in a disadvantaged area attend third level leads to  imitation by others from the same family or neighbourhood.  The State has a role in "kick-starting" this process in  disadvantaged communities. By igniting the spark in even a  small way, investment could take off through the compounding  effects of these "neighbourhood" and generational effects.  Divert resources towards disadvantaged children  We believe resources released by the so-called "demographic  dividend" must be diverted, which will arise because of the  anticipated decline in primary student numbers, towards  disadvantaged children in all schools by investing in additional  remedial teachers, home-school links, social and psychological  support services and improved teacher training and school  equipment. These freed-up resources should be used selectively  to achieve consciously planned outcomes, and not just absorbed  in a generalised way.  Education and Training to Age 18  In Government, we would ensure that every child up to age 18  will have the opportunity to participate in second-level  education, training programmes, Youth Reach, or other  pathways to work.  Establish two key aims  We favour the establishment of two key indicators on which to  judge performance. First, by the age of 12, we will seek to  ensure that children will have attained a minimum specified level  in literacy and numeracy skills. Secondly, every 17 year old  should have a satisfactory performance in, at least, the Junior  Certificate.  Expand the Youthreach Programme  Fine Gael is impressed with the achievements of the Youthreach  Programme in addressing the problems of disadvantage. We  demand greater coverage of young people in need and that  participants progress to a tradable qualification.  Promote participation in Post Leaving Certificate Courses  Steps should be taken to encourage progression in educational  attainment beyond Leaving Certificate for those students who do  not wish to attend third- level colleges or take up an  apprenticeship by actively promoting participation in  appropriately accredited Post Leaving Certificate Courses or the  new National Traineeships' programmes.The extension of  maintenance grants to students attending such courses as soon as  resources permit,should be prioritised.  4. DEEPEN THE QUALITY OF OUR EDUCATION  SYSTEM  (Back to top)  To maintain our competitive edge Fine Gael believes we need to  move with some haste towards upgrading computer and  language skills at primary and second level.  Achieve computer literacy at all levels  The attainment of a standard of computer literacy at all levels  among teachers and students is an objective of Fine Gael.  Specifically, we want all school- leaving students to obtain a  thorough grounding in computer skills. The aim would be to  integrate computers into the whole teaching and learning  experience.  Set a target pupil / computer ratio  We believe there should be at least one Personal Computer for  every 20 students at primary and second level. The private sector  should be encouraged to support this investment.  Promote cyber schools and colleges  The concept of "cyber schools and colleges" and networking  should be promoted through ensuring that every classroom is  linked to the INTERNET, and to the extent that it is feasible,  has ISDN capability.  Introduce a "Virtual University" Pilot Project  Fine Gael believes that there is tremendous scope for using  modern telecommunications facilities to improve access, enhance  quality and reduce the costs of delivering third-level courses  from central locations to outlying community centres. The  concept of a "virtual" institution of higher level learning is on the  brink of realisation in Ireland. Fine Gael supports the  development of a major pilot project to advance this concept.  Innovative plans are well advanced by the Cork Institute of  Technology and the Third Level Campus Group at Skibberreen,  Co. Cork to develop a prototype of this concept. The local  group have established links with similar projects at the  University of Ulster at Enniskillen and at the University of  Missouri at St. Louis. We believe this project has the potential  to be a model not just for the innovative supply of third-level  education in the 21st century but it also can serve to promote  rural regeneration. By retaining those students who choose to  stay close to their communities to be educated through providing  a telematics resource, which can be used for the benefit of the  business, cultural, social and sporting activities of local rural  communities. Modern technology can help promote rural  regeneration of recent years.  Achieve a greater fluency in continental languages  It is absolutely essential that we improve our command of  continental languages. While academic excellence may be the  goal for some, basic literacy and conversational skills in these  languages is the goal we seek to achieve for all.  We believe the most effective way to build language capability  is to commence a continental language programme at primary  level. Fine Gael's aim will be to ensure that by the year 2010  every 12-year old primary school leaver should have attained a  basic fluency in one continental language. This will involve  significant changes in the timetable in primary schools, a  significant investment in teacher training and the use of visiting  teachers. Such a radical development will require full  consultation with all interested parties.  At third level, we believe that all graduating students should  have a proficiency in applied continental language skills. To  achieve this objective, a Commission should be established,in  conjunction with the HEA, to recommend a strategic plan for the  implementation of this objective.  5. ENCOURAGE CONTINUING EDUCATION AND  TRAINING (Back to top)  Education and training shouldn't cease when one joins the  workforce. Fine Gael believes that everyone should be  encouraged to take part in continuing education and training  throughout their working life.  We propose, subject to available resources, to allow all fees  incurred for appropriately accredited courses to be tax deductible  at the standard rate. Initially this should apply to certain IT  courses and the learning of foreign languages. Fine Gael are  committed to supporting, through suitable incentives, lifelong  learning for all our people and we intend to extend the range of  courses eligible over time.  Greater investment in telematics  Lack of access to centres of education and training constrains the  widespread participation in continuing education and training for  working persons or persons with young families to rear. We  believe that investment in telematics technology has the potential  to considerably improve access and special priority should be  given to this type of investment in future capital programmes.  6. UPGRADE THE QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF  TRAINING COURSES (Back to top)  Supporting new initiatives for training  Fine Gael calls for the rapid implementation of the Rainbow  Government's White Paper on Human Resource Development.  In particular, Fine Gael believes training for unemployed  persons should be tailored to assist them prepare for the  workplace through the Local Employment Service. The  emphasis has to be placed on the supply of relevant and  appropriate training programmes leading to accredited  qualifications and the path to full-time employment. We support  the implementation of intensive short courses on job search  skills tailored to the long-term unemployed.  Link second-level with traineeships  Fine Gael see considerable merit in linking the provision of  traineeships provided by FAS with the second-level curriculum.  We believe there is merit in examining the provision for student  access to trainee opportunities after their Junior Certificate but as  part of the school curriculum.  As an alternative to completing the Senior Cycle, students  should be able to opt for an accredited traineeship,  apprenticeship etc. This option provides real alternatives for  many students who may find it difficult to adjust to the academic  emphasis at second level while at the same time allowing our  economy to have the benefit of a wider range of skilled persons.  In time, the qualifications gained through these traineeships, and  other measures, could be recognised as appropriate for entry  requirements to third-level Institutes of Technology.  CRIME  Policies on Crime (Back to top)  Fine Gael identified crime as one of the major issues that the  Government needed to tackle. We pledged that in Government  we would devise and implement a comprehensive plan to fight  crime. This plan involved:  Major changes in criminal law.  Reform of our penal system.  Improvements in relation to the Garda  Siochana.  In December 1994, Fine Gael immediately set about  implementing a comprehensive crime plan. In just 29 months,  Fine Gael achieved all three of these pledges and much more.  Any objective assessment must recognise the sheer breadth of  reform across almost every element of the criminal justice  system. For the first time since 1989, indictable crime  decreased.  So what did we do in Government? (Back to  top)  1. Major Changes in Criminal Laws (Back totop)  Fine Gael in Government set about a major reform of our  criminal law. We took the time to identify weaknesses and then  acted decisively to eliminate those problems and tilt the balance  of our laws in favour of the victims of crime and those who  uphold those laws. Fine Gael enacted legislation which :  Allowed for the detention for questioning of drug traffickers for  up to seven days and restricted the right to silence in drug  trafficking cases.  Introduced new measures to tackle the problems of delays in  the Courts, including the appointment of additional judges. By  May 1997, 24 extra judges have been provided for by  legislation, a 25% increase on 1994 levels.  Given the Gardai new powers to search for evidence relating to  serious offences such as murder and rape, extended the period  for which a person may be remanded in custody, provided for  the giving of certain Garda evidence by certificate and permits  the use of "stingers" to tackle the crime of joy riding.  Provided for stronger measures against syringe offences,  stalking and combating drug abuse in licensed premises.  Bail Referendum  We introduced the Bail Referendum which was passed by the  people. This means that the scandal of convicted criminals  committing crime while on bail was finally tackled. The  Government also reformed our laws to ensure that bail money  will be collected.  Criminal Assets Bureau  The Rainbow Government established the Criminal Assets  Bureau. This put a multi-agency approach to tackling crime on a  statutory basis - including pro-active targeted measures by the  Gardai, the Revenue Commissioners and Social Welfare. The  Bureau can request the High Court to freeze and ultimately  dispose of property which it is satisfied, on the balance of  probabilities, is the proceeds of crime.  Published Bills  Fine Gael in Government published several other important  crime-fighting Bills including bills to deal with juvenile justice  and child pornography.  Summary (Back to top)  Fine Gael in Government from 1994 to 1997 provided 25%  more judges, restricted the right to silence, established the  Criminals Assets Bureau to relentlessly pursue criminals' assets,  reformed our bail laws, supported Operation Dochas to eliminate  drug pushers from our streets, streamlined the courts system and  provided for seven-day detention of suspected drug traffickers.  2. Reform of our Penal System (Back to top)  The Rainbow Government put in place a major prison building  programme, each plank of which was completed during the 29  month period of Government. This Government's prison  building programme has provided 800 extra prison spaces, an  increase of 36%:  A new 400 place remand prison at Wheatfield has been built  and will be ready for use by next year.  177 places in Castlerea.  60 places in Mountjoy Womens' Prison.  55 places in Limerick  100 places in the Curragh.  The Rainbow Government also established a new Prisons  Agency to manage our prisons.  Summary  Fine Gael in Government took unprecedented steps to end the  years of neglect of our prisons. We embarked on the most  ambitious prison building programme since the foundation of the  State. The programme saw an additional 800 prison spaces  provided at a cost of £73m. and represents an increase of 36% in  the number of prison spaces. We also established an  independent prisons agency to manage our prisons. Fine Gael in  Government delivered on prison reform.  3. Improvements in the Garda Síochána (Back to top)  Fine Gael acted decisively to develop and modernise the Gardai.  Fine Gael :  Provided for the recruitment of 2,500 more Gardai, fifteen  hundred of whom have been recruited and recruitment of the  remainder will commence next month.  Freed up more Gardai to fight crime on the streets by  addressing the amount of Garda overtime in the Dublin area  (equivalent to about 200 full-time Gardai) which was taken up  waiting in the Courts for cases to be heard where they had to  present documentary evidence.  More civilians were employed to replace desk bound Gardai.  Commenced investment of £36m in improving Garda  technology. The advances in this area are obvious and stark.  For example in 1994, it took 30,000 minutes to manually  identify fingerprints; through the provision of state-of-the-art  technology it now takes 10 minutes.  Approved the establishment of a Garda Air Support Unit,  including the purchase of a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft  which are due to be delivered very shortly.  Installed Closed-Circuit TV cameras in Dublin to assist the  Gardai in reducing City Centre crime.  Granted the Gardai new powers relating to the detention of  drug traffickers and seizure of assets.  Regionalised the operational management of the Gardai.  The Government made the European and International battle  against drugs and crime a central feature of Ireland's EU  Presidency. Criminals are using modern technology to organise  themselves internationally and the success of the Irish  Presidency helped create a European framework that can combat  it effectively.  Summary  Fine Gael in Government provided for the recruitment of 2,500  more Gardai, invested in technology, reduced Garda  bureaucracy, re-organised the Gardai, provided a new air  support unit, giving the Gardai new powers and made major  investment to create a new, modern and effective police force.  4. Combating Drugs (Back to top)  Fine Gael in Government initiated a Multi-Agency Plan to tackle  the Drugs problem.  Established a Garda National Drugs Unit.  Established the Criminal Assets Bureau.  Enacted the Drug Trafficking Act which permits detention for  questioning for up to 7 days and restricts the right to silence.  Changed the laws in relation to drug searches at dances and  discos.  Cracked down on drugs in prisons.  Established new community Task Forces with resources to  tackle the demand for drugs in local communities.  Supported Operation Dochas, the Garda onslaught at street  level on drugs in Dublin introduced in October 1996. In six  months it resulted in £2.6m worth of drugs being seized and  driven the drug pushers off the streets.  Began a major multi-media drugs awareness campaign and  introduced drug awareness programmes in primary schools.  Expanded drug treatment services including additional  detoxification and rehabilitation facilities.  Gave Local Authorities more powers to evict drug dealers from  estates.  So What Would we do in Government?  (Back to top)  Of all matters facing the Government when it came to office,  the  criminal justice system was the most notable one which had  clearly suffered neglect over recent years. There had een little  recognition of the threat to society from drugs; the need for a far-  reaching programme of extra prison places; the problems facing  the staff and management of the proson service; the impatience  felt by all who used the Courts; the threats to the safety of our  children; the threats presented by child pornography and the  need to reform the outdated management structure of the Garda  Siochana A programme of radical reform is well underway. We  recognise it has some way to go before the damage of years of  indifference can be undone. We do not tolerate crime or criminal  activity from whatever source, and we have by our actions  demonstrated that we don't. The first requirement of our  criminal justice system is that it protects our people from crime.  This requires action in regard to the law and by each arm of the  justice system - police, courts and prisons.  1.Proposed Changes in the Law (Back to  top)  Fine Gael wants the comprehensive legislative program it has  advanced in government to be completed, including major pieces  of legislation such as the Fraud Bill, the Insanity Bill and  Charities legislation.  New Restrictions on the Right to Silence  In the case of very serious offences Fine Gael wants to change  the law, subject to putting in place appropriate safeguards, to  permit the Courts to draw inferences about unreasonable failures  to volunteer information to the Gardai.  Extended Detention Periods for Murder Suspects  We favour the introduction of 48-hour detention for all murder  crimes and not just those involving the use of firearms. At  present, detention for up to 48 hours, can only be used where a  firearm was used in the commissioning of the crime.  Lifetime Supervision of Convicted Sex Offenders  Incarceration of sex offenders is not always sufficient to protect  victims because rehabilitation programmes are not always  successful and, upon release, there can be a high probability of  re-offending. The crime of paedophilia is a particularly vile  crime perpetrated on the most innocent of victims.  Fien Gael believes that the courts should be given the power to  impose rigid lifetime supervision of convicted sex offenders  after the completion of their sentences. This supervisory  function would be undertaken by an enlarged Probation  Service. It is also important, we believe, that all relevant  authorities are informed of the whereabouts of convicted sex  offenders.  Greater use of Community Service Orders, Attachment of  Earnings, On-the-Spot Fines, etc.  Fine Gael will explore ways to reduce Legal and other restraints  on the greater use of Community Service Orders where the  Courts decide this form of punishment would fit the and would  be a more effective and efficient use of the considerable  resources provided to the criminal justice system. For example,  under current legislation, offenders have to consent to such  orders instead of imprisonment.  Fine Gael will introduce legislation to encourage the greater use  of attachment of earnings for civil debt and non-payment of  fines. We will provide every opportunity for the use of these  methods as alternatives to imprisoning the defaulter  Fine Gael is examining ways in which on-the-spot fines could  be used more. For example, in relation to motoring/road traffic  offences, public order offences, etc.  New Annual Criminal Justice Bills  Given the significant efficiencies and savings facilitated by the  new court and Garda procedures introduced into law in 1997  and the important new crime-fighting tools now available, Fine  Gael proposes building on this success by putting in place a new  system whereby an Annual Criminal Justice Bill is brought  forward, with Parliamentary deadlines akin to the annual  Finance and Social Welfare Bills deadlines, to promote ongoing  identified efficiencies in the administration of our Justice system  and constant updating of crime-fighting tools.  In addition, the Criminal Law Advisory Group, which was  established by Fine Gael in government, should evaluate  proposals from practitioners in this area with a view to including  measures in the annual Bill.  Identification Parades  Fine Gael proposes that ways in which identification parades  could be made more "victim-friendly" without compromising the  rights of the accused.  Consistency in Sentencing  Fine Gael believes that the issue of consistency in sentencing by  the Courts needs to be considered. This complex Constitutional  issue will require taking account of all interested parties,  including, representatives of womens' groups, the recent Report  by the Law Reform Commission and the views of the Crime  Council.  Proposals on Drug-Related Crime (Back to  top)  Substantial progress on tackling the sources of supply and use  of drugs has been made. We build on this progress in secure our  streets from drugs  Building Community Partnerships  The role of local communities in tackling the drugs scourge will  be advanced through enhancing partnership with the State  agencies. We will build on the Local Drugs Task Forces being  set up as a result of the First Report of the Ministerial Task  Force on Measures to Reduce the Demand for Drugs. We favour  continuing to direct funds to demand reduction and local  initiatives, such as the £14m assigned to this area in October last  year and the decision to use monies derived from seized  criminals' assets for demand - reduction programmes.  Provide Additional Treatment Facilities  Fine Gael affirms its commitment to drug treatment programmes  and pledges to keep the adequacy of existing resources under  constant review. In particular, Fine Gael will build on its record  in Government of extending out-patient detoxification and  assessment, in-patient detoxification beds, residential  downstream beds, methadone maintenance programmes  (including increased involvement of GPs), provision of  additional mobile-treatment units, etc.  Rehabilitation and Job Opportunities for Addicts who have  Successfully Completed Treatment Programmes  Methadone maintenance is a means to an end, but a vital one, in  that the stabilisation it brings to drug addicts allows them to be  introduced to a range of longer-term treatments and solutions  including detoxification, rehabilitation and gainful employment.  In order to ensure that our methadone maintenance programmes  lead to these longer-term solutions, we must ensure that  meaningful follow-through options are in place. Those addicts  who are prepared to do what it takes to walk away from drugs  and the misery it brings to their families and the victims of the  crimes they commit to feed their habit should be helped.  Establish Drug-Free Units and Drug Treatment Units in all  prisons  Drug-Free Units and Drug Treatment Units will be established  in all prisons. The success of the Rainbow Government in this  area clearly warrants the extension of this programme  throughout the prison service.  Build a Custodial Treatment Facility for Drug Users  we will immediately commence planning the construction of a  dedicated facility on a site near Dublin for the custodial treatment  of drug users. The cost of this type of custodial sentence could  be up to 30% less than sending addicts to jail. The capital cost of  this facility will be kept to a minimum by adapting any existing  suitable building.  Giving Courts Greater Discretion  In conjunction with the new drugs custodial facility, Fine Gael  believes that the Courts should be given discretion to either jail  persons convicted of drug related offences or to send them for  custodial treatment to this new facility.  Policing for a Safer Society (Back to top)  Focusing on the job of Policing  We increased the Garda Budget by 16% in only two and a half  years. We also freed up Garda time by, for example, increasing  the number of civilians doing clerical work, reorganising and  streamlining the force and cutting the time Gardai have to spend  in Court. The SMI Review of An Garda Siochana - the first  since the 1979 Loude Report almost 20 years ago - and the  Public Service Management Act, when implemented, will  continue the focus of ensuring the Gardai concentrate on  policing. Fine Gael will continue to ensure that the Gardai are  adequately resourced and that they can concentrate on the job  they are meant to do - policing for a safer society.  Provide the Gardai with more Technology  The Gardai should continue to get technological assistance to  fight crime. We have proved already that we deliver in this area  and we are determined that no criminal will escape prosecution  because they possess more advanced technology than the  Gardai. We are particularly committed to the use of CCTV and  believe that they provide a useful adjunct to Gardai "on the  beat".  More Community Policing  Garda community outreach activities should be enhanced and we  want to see, in particular, a significant increase in the number of  Gardai assigned to Community Policing and a heightened  awareness of this service within the Gardai and communities  throughout the country.  Establish Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Units in Garda  Regions  Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Units should be  established in all five of the Garda regions outside Dublin  (which already has one) in a prioritisation of measures to help  reduce the number of violent crimes against women.  Establish Local Partnerships Against Crime  We will establish, on a pilot basis initially, of a number of local-  area Partnerships Against Crime to be located in selected areas  throughout Ireland. The Partnerships would co-ordinate the  work of the various agencies and community groups with an  interest in tackling crime and provide a "one-stop shop" for  families under stress due to the persistent cycle of poverty,  crime, drugs and violence that prevails in many of our  disadvantaged areas. Local Partnerships Against Crime would  work in close co-operation with Local Drugs Strategy Teams.  Establish a Civic Wardens' Force  Fine Gael wants to introduce Civic Wardens, modelled on the  successful Dutch Streetwatchers scheme, to supplement and  support the work of the Gardai. We want to consult with well-  established and valued voluntary and community organisations  such as Community Alert and Neighbourhood Watch in  establishing the Service. Suitable training should be provided  and widespread consultation should be initiated with the Gardai  and local community groups prior to the launch of the scheme.  In the rural context, the Wardens could regularly check on  elderly people living alone who might be at risk from criminals.  We believe it should be possible with suitable training to utilise  the Community Employment Scheme as the vehicle for  employing the Wardens.  The Courts (Back to top)  Fine Gael spearheaded and implemented some of the most far-  reaching reforms of our Courts since they were established  shortly after Independence. We are determined that cases be  dealt with as quickly as possible and that the Courts are run  efficiently.  Therefore, we favour the establishment of an independent  Courts Service to streamline the business of the Courts and  achieve a more efficient dispatch of criminals from our streets.  The drafting of the legislation to establish the Courts Service is  at an advanced .  The Prison System (Back to top)  Prisoners must serve their time. The so-called "revolving door"  in respect of routine temporary or early release must be stopped.  The Rainbow Government responded to this need through a  major prison places' programme.  In order to ensure that we never have a shortage of prison places  again, Fine Gael believes that prison accomodation needs should  be kept under constant review. We propose:  build a new 400 place prison  Before the end of the year 2000, we plan to have constructed a  new 400-place secure prison. We will invite the private sector to  participate in the design, building and financing of the project in  partnership with the state  Establishment of a Prisons' Agency  An independent Prisons' Agency will now be set up to manage  our prisons more effectively. A detailed Report has already been  prepared by an Expert Group established by Fine Gael in  Government and the Rainbow Government has approved its  recommendations. The Agency will also set strict performance  targets in terms of sound custodial practices and cost control.  Expand the Probation and Welfare Services  The Probation and Welfare Service should be expanded  significantly to ensure that it can meet the increasing demands  being made on it. This should include lifetime supervision of sex  offenders. The provision of Probation Service hostels acts as a  "half way" home for offenders and permits more effective  management of offenders by the Service. The cost is about a  third of maintaining a person in prison. Fine Gael commits itself  to expanding this option and, in particular, to the provision of  adequate hostel accommodation for women offenders.  Greater Savings in Prison Operating Costs  The recommendations of the Prison Operating Costs Review  Group are expected to be available shortly. Fine Gael will  implement, as quickly and to the fullest extent possible,of any  cost-saving recommendations that this Group makes so that  value for money can be achieved in the running of our prisons.  Supporting Victims of Crime (Back to top)  Fine Gael's track record on supporting victims is unprecedented.  In 29 months, we :  published the first ever Victims Charter.  funded the review of the legal process regarding Sexual and  other crimes of Violence Against Women and Children  gave the first ever State funding to Community Alert.  gave two and a half times more funding  to Victim Support in 1997 than only 2 years ago.  advanced a Discussion Paper on Sexual Offences to the point  where it is close to publication by the Department of Justice,  including a thorough examination of the issue of legal  representation for victims.  Legal Representation  Fine Gael wants to see this success built upon. Once the  Discussion Paper on Sexual Offences is published and  discussed, Fine Gael will support recommendations in favour of  a fair, equitable and balanced system for victims of crime who  require legal advice, particularly in cases of sexual offence.  Restitution Fund  Fine Gael would establish, by law, a Restitution Fund to which  offenders will contribute and this Fund will be available for the  benefit of victims to compensate them for the trauma visited  upon them by the crimes of others.  Criminals to produce statement of their assets  All persons convicted of crimes against people and property will  be obliged to make a full statement of their assets together with  all their sources of income, which may be used for the benefit of  the victims of the crime.  Give Victims more Statutory Rights  The statutory rights of victims will be enhanced by:  registering themselves as a victim of crime.  entitlement to a statement of assets and sources of income of  the perpetrator.  victim notification if the Criminal Assets Bureau seizes the  assets of the criminal in question so that the victim can make an  application for access to those funds.  Crime Prevention Strategies (Back to top)  Establish an Independent Crime Council  In keeping with the recently published Discussion Paper  "Tackling Crime", Fine Gael belives an independent Crime  Council should be established as a source of strategic policy  options and a forum for debate on crime issues.  Improved Research  An enhanced research budget on crime and related matters  should be secured and the possibility of having this administered  by, or in conjunction with, the Crime Council, universities and  other independent bodies should be examined.  Crime Awareness Programmes in Schools  Crime awareness programmes in schools should be initiated  involving "reality therapy" sessions to expose children (with  parental consent) to the reality behind crime and anti-social  behaviour - the impact on victims, the consequences for society  and the criminal and the need for community spirit and care.  Improved Crime Statistics  The quality and scope of crime-related statistics should be  improved through greater resourcing and the extended use of  modern technology.  Major Expansion of Youth Diversion Schemes  Youth Diversion Schemes are particularly successful in diverting  young people away from crime (aged 8 to 16) who are already  seen to be at risk of falling into a life of crime.  In Government, Fine Gael increased the number of Youth  Diversion Schemes from 4 in 1994 to 11 in 1997. These  schemes now operate in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and  Dundalk.  Fine Gael calls for the expansion of Youth Diversion Schemes  on a nation-wide basis.  Garda Liaison Scheme for Adults  A scheme equivalent to the Garda Juvenile Liaison Scheme  aimed at diverting adults away from crime should be established.  This new scheme should be put on a statutory footing as the  Juvenile Justice Bill proposes for the Juvenile Liaison Scheme.  Summary (Back to top)  Fine Gael does not just talk about taking on the criminal - we do  it. We are the Party that provided for the recruitment of 2,500  more Gardai, providing 800 more prison spaces and 24 extra  judges. In Government we established the Criminal Assets  Bureau to relentlessly pursue drug criminals and to seize  criminal assets and put the "crime bosses" under pressure. We  are the Party who provided the Gardai with new technology to  take on and beat the criminals. We are the Party who ended the  years of neglect.  ENVIRONEMNT  POLICIES ON THE ENVIRONMENT  OUR PHILOSOPHY  OUR PHILOSOPHY (Back to top)  Fine Gael believes the greatest threat to our expectation of  continued prosperity could arise from the consequences for our  environment of that very prosperity. Because of EU decisions,  we face the prospect of strict CO2 emissions quotas being  imposed upon each EU member state. Given the relatively high  growth now being experienced in our economy we could suffer  proportionately more than other countries from these CO2  quotas. Fine Gael believes we must develop the best means  possible to meet these targets while securing our recent  employment and prosperity achievements.  Fine Gael believes environmental concerns should be placed  right at the centre of Government activity. This should be done  in a spirit of partnership with all environmental interests.  Specifically, all such interests should be invited to participate in  social partnership during the preparation of the next programme  for economic and social development.  Given the broad and challenging agenda which managing our  environmental endowments will present in the New  Millennium, Fine Gael believes we should establish a Ministry  for the Environment and Sustainable Development ("Green  Ministry") of full Cabinet rank.  #  the agenda for this new Ministry will be a broad one. It will  cover the effective management of household and commercial  waste. Already imaginative initiatives have been undertaken in  this area over the last two years or so. It includes the goal of  clean water and air. The problems created by growing private  traffic in our built-up centres of population will become  especially evident as our economic prosperity continues.  We have to be also mindful of the way we exploit our natural  resources that underlie agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism  so that we do not destroy them. Moreover we constantly need to  seek ways to reduce the rate at which we deplete our fixed  supplies of exhaustable energy resources. Our environment  provides us with benefits which we can reap through economic  means. It makes economic sense to care for this resource. But  we also derive benefits from our environment in non-economic  ways which are no less important. The maintenance of area of  great natural beauty and preserves of ecological diversity is  important.  We believe that beyond these items which would be on a  conventional environmental agenda, we should alsoadd issues  which impinge on public health such as alcohol and drug  (including tobacco) abuse, food safety, and wider environmental  health risks. However, we see these issues best being handled  by a minister of state for public Health attached to the  Department of health  In a new Government we will focus on achieving our objectives  through heightening awareness of environmental issues at all  levels in society; implementing effective waste management  practices; investigating how fiscal instruments could be used to  modify behaviour; and by promoting positive measures to  promote sustainable development.  SO WHAT DID WE DO IN GOVERNMENT? (Back to top)  1. MANAGING OUR WASTE (Back to top)  The 1996 Waste Management Act ensures that companies,  farms and State agencies which generate significant levels of  waste (including packaging) will be required to attain specified  recycling targets over a designated time period. We took our  commitments to protecting our environment seriously. We  launched a far-sighted programme to encourage waste recovery  through recycling initiatives.  2. ENCOURAGING RECYCLING (Back to top)  Among the measures we promoted was a grants scheme to  encourage local authority and private-sector recycling projects.  We also moved to eliminate the pollution caused by farm  plastics through obliging suppliers to operate "deposit and  refund" schemes.  3. DEVELOPING RENEWABLE ENERGY  STRATEGIES (Back to top)  The development of safe and renewable energy strategies was  enthusiastically pursued by the Rainbow Government and a  contract for the construction in Dublin of a 30MW power station  fired by waste material was awarded to an international  consortium involving the ESB.  4. TAKING ON SELLAFIELD (Back to top)  In an unprecedented move the Rainbow Government showed  the strength of its opposition to the proposed developments at  the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant at Cumbria by being  directly represented at the Public Inquiry in the U.K. The  success of this intervention in stopping the proposed  underground dump, was a major victory for environmental  protection, and shows the power of Government to effect  change when the commitment is clear and unambiguous.  5. REBUILDING OUR COUNTY ROADS (Back to top)  In 1994, our county roads were in a chronic state of disrepair.  We set about rebuilding our county road network. It is evident  to all that the quality of our county roads improved dramatically  while Fine Gael were in Government. £60 million was spent in  between 1996 and 1997 and we had committed ourselves to a  10-year programme costing a total of £1,000 million.  6. ABOLITION OF SERVICE CHARGES AND PROPERTY  TAX (Back to top)  Almost 700,000 households benefited from the abolition of  local water charges representing an annual average saving of  £75 per household. We also scrapped Residential Property Tax  which was a tax on family homes.  7. SOCIAL HOUSING (Back to top)  The number of people benefiting under the Social Housing  programme increased from 1,200 at the end of 1993, to 3,000  at the end of 1996. We also brought total housing output,  private, voluntary and local authority - to all time record levels  with almost 34,000 completions in 1996.  SO WHAT WOULD WE DO IN GOVERNMENT? (Back to  top)  1. NEW STRUCTURAL CHANGES (Back to top)  To ensure an even more focused response from Government to  the environment, we believe a Department for the Environment  and Sustainable Development should be established.  This, together with the proposal already announced in our  Health Care manifesto to appoint a new Minister of State for  Public Health would ensure that environmental issues maintain  their place at the top of the political agenda. The Minister of  State for Public Health would have responsibility not only for  strictly medical issues, but also for wider environmental matters  as they impact on public health.  2. PROMOTING GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS  (Back to top)  Oblige organisations to prepare Environmental Statements  All medium to large companies and relevant state bodies should  be obliged to incorporate environmental statements into their  annual reports. These statements would include as a minimum,  appropriate environmental indicators relating to waste  production and disposal.  Compile Better Environment Statistics  All State agencies with responsibility for assembling statistics  on sectoral performance should be mandated to commence  compilation and reporting of appropriate statistical indicators on  the environment and sustainability.  ISO 9000  The ISO 9000 standard should be expanded to embrace safety  and environmental quality standards and targets for increased  participation levels should be set for each year.  Analyse government policies for Environmental Impact  We want to ensure that in the examination of relevant  Government policies the consequences for the environment and  sustainability are assessed in the decision-making process.  Also, Value for Money assessment of public expenditure should  contain, where relevant, suitable environmental assessment  parameters.  3. BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT  (Back to top)  Implementing Existing Laws  We seek the vigorous implementation of the 1996 Waste  Management Act which will ensure that companies, farms and  State agencies which generate significant levels of waste  (including packaging) will be required to attain specified  recycling targets over a designated time period.  Develop Domestic Recycling  Local authorities must be obliged to devise systems to facilitate  recycling domestic household waste. We believe that there is  merit in supplying all houses with refuse bins which contain  segregated compartments for the sorting of household rubbish.  This would enable more cost effective recycling. To establish  the feasibility of such a project, we believe extensive piloting of  this project should be promoted by local authorities on a  subsidised basis.  New levies on Non-Recyclable Waste  In Ireland far too much of our solid waste is landfilled rather  than recycled or incinerated and if present trends continue a  serious shortage of landfill sites will emerge. Therefore, radical  action must be taken to reduce the amount of material to be  landfilled. Fine Gael would ask the Green Taxation  Commission (see below) to draw up proposals to levy the  creation of waste that may ultimately have to be landfilled and to  place a special premium on material that is not easily recycled.  This would reduce the pressure on landfill requirements in  addition to the other initiatives to be implemented under the  Waste Management Act.  Establish local-are environmental committees near Landfills  Inevitably, no matter how effective are the penalties imposed on  waste production, there will continue to be a requirement for  landfills. The charges for dumping must be set at a level which  will ensure that the most rigorous environmental standards can  be afforded and adhered to.  Fine Gael fully appreciates that landfill dumps can be highly  controversial. It is our intention to provide local communities  with a mechanism whereby they will be fully consulted on an  on-going basis in regard to the management of and standards in  a landfill operation in their locality. Fine Gael believes the best  way of ensuring this level of consultation is for Local - Area  Environmental Committees to be established in the vicinity of all  landfills so as to give people a real voice in decision making in  the operation of the sites. In consultation with the new Green  Taxation Commission we believe that the proposed landfill  waste levy should be earmarked for a fund which can be used  for local environmental improvements and for compensation of  households in the vicinity of landfill sites. The basis for this  would be determined by the local Area Environmental  Committees.  4. INVESTIGATE NEW PRO-ENVIRONMENT FISCAL  MEASURES TO PENALISE WASTE (Back to top)  One of our key aims is to reduce substantially the taxes levied  on labour. By moving to tax waste and not work we can  enhance the take-home gains for workers. Fine Gael believes  the most effective way for individuals and commercial concerns  to reduce the environmental costs associated with production  and consumption is for these costs to be assigned an explicit  price through the development of new environmental taxes. We  are committed to penalising environmentally wasteful practices  and to using the proceeds to broaden the tax base and thus to  reduce income taxes. This would also promote sustainable  economic development. International competitiveness  considerations of course place limits on unilateral actions in this  area and action can effectively be undertaken only in  conjunction with our EU partners.  Establish a Green Taxation Commission  Fine Gael proposes the establishment of a Green Taxation  Commission which would examine a range of incentives and  disincentives to ensure that our environment is not degraded and  development of our natural resources is sustained. The Green  Taxation Commission would examine a range of feasible  economic instruments covering issues such as solid and liquid  waste disposal, harmful emissions, traffic congestion etc.  5. PROTECTING OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT (Back to  top)  We are committed to preserving and protecting the quality of  Ireland's marine and coastal environment, both for its intrinsic  value and as a base for industries such as fishing, aquaculture  and tourism and leisure which are critically dependant on a high  quality environment.  We gave practical expression to this commitment through a  range of initiatives which included the enactment of new and  more effective legislation to regulate dumping at sea (Dumping  at Sea Act, 1996), initiation of work on a Quality Status Report  under the OSPAR Convention and active liaison with UK  authorities on munitions dumpsites. This pro-active approach  should be maintained and future initiatives should include the  enactment of legislation to enable Ireland ratify Protocols to  International Conventions on Oil Pollution Damage, and the  Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response Co-  operation; and putting in place comprehensive plans and  adequate capability for dealing with spills from ships.  Sellafield  The Rainbow Government showed an outstanding commitment  to taking action on Sellafield and Thorp. Fine Gael wants to  ensure that this work is continued and intensified.  Irradiated Nuclear Fuels  Ireland has played a leading role within the International  Maritime Organisation in pressing for a strengthening of the  rules governing the transportation by sea of irradiated nuclear  fuels (the INF Code). The Code is of special importance for this  country in view of our proximity to Sellafield, and the active  pursuit of this matter through political and diplomatic channels.  Coastal Zone Management  We believe that priority should be given to the development of  integrated strategies and effective institutional arrangements for  coastal zone management, taking account of a detailed  consultancy study. We call for particular attention to the  development of a co-operative, integrated and co-ordinated  approach by public authorities and users of marine resource.  Coastal Protection  We urge the development of a comprehensive national strategy  for coast protection, taking account of identified problems and  the likely effects of factors such as climate change. The  resources available for coast protection should be targeted on  the most urgent coast protection problems, in accordance with  criteria established by the national strategy.  6. PROTECTING OUR RURAL ENVIRONMENT (Back to  top)  Fine Gael recognises the importance of the rural environment to  Irish agriculture and rural development. Fine Gael wants to see  future agriculture and rural development policies taking full  account of the need for measures to be adopted to promote  greater environmental sensitivity and sustainability, to be  achieved through a balance of EU supported extensification and  sustainable farming practices. The Rural Environmental  Protection Scheme (REPS) has been an outstanding success  with participation levels rising from just 350 in December 1994  to approximately 25,000 by June 1997. Fine Gael calls for  negotiations with the EU aimed at extending REPS from a 5 to a  15 year scheme.  As further evidence of the importance we attach to  environmentally friendly farming we see the introduction of the  Capital Grants Scheme for the control of Farmyard Pollution, as  a priority in the event of surplus funding becoming available  from the Mid Term Review of Structural Funds.  7. PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (Back  to top)  Electricity from Renewable Sources  We believe that feasibility targets should be set for the  production of electricity - up to 10% of national electricity  supply and 10% of national fuel usage - from renewables,  especially waste materials.  Incentives should be introduced to encourage the private sector  to achieve these targets, either by paying realistic prices for the  supply of electricity from renewable resources to the national  grid or through the use of grant aid. Consideration will be given  to incentivising the use of waste renewables (e.g. animal offals)  at a greater rate than non-waste renewables.  Energy Self-Supply  Relevant State bodies (including local authorities) and private  companies should be encouraged to self-supply appropriate  fractions of their energy needs through joint ventures with the  private sector. We see considerable scope for the construction  of small-scale Combined Heat and Power plants in this context.  Biomass Production  Incentives should be considered for "set aside" land to produce  renewable sources of biomass for electricity and biofuel  production. The electricity produced would be supplied mainly  to the national grid but we would hope that in time decentralised  local outlets would be found for the energy produced.  Eco-Friendly Fuel  The Irish National Petroleum Corporation should be encouraged  to play a central role in achieving targets for attaining minimum  levels of national eco-friendly fuel usage and should be  encouraged to engage in appropriate joint ventures with the  private sector to secure these targets. Achievable targets can be  set to increase the proportion of environmentally-friendly fuel  (preferably produced from renewables) in national fuel  consumption - say, 10% of diesel and petrol consumption. An  excise-duty exemption currently applies to bio-fuels so the  policy challenge is to develop cost-effective supply strategies.  All state bodies/agencies which use transport fleets of a  significant size should be encouraged to employ a growing  proportion of vehicles using environmentally-friendly and  renewable-sourced fuels.  REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION  @ two sentences lacking.  Public transport in cities must be made a more attractive alternative to one's car, especially for predictable or regular journeys, such as commuting to and from work. We will take two important initiatives designed to achieve  this aim.  Measure 1  We will promotw the introduction of 'flexi-tickets' for  commuters which allow the use of a single ticket for all public  transport facilities (including taxis during certain designated  times) in specified commuter zones. We believe this will  encourage increased use of public transport.  Measure 2  Fine Gael will also consider encouraging the development of  multi-storey car parks on the outer rim of cities. This may be  achieved by tax designation. Such a development would allow  commuters to park their cars and transfer to public transport  shuttle services for their journey into the city centre. There is  considerable scope for such investment in all of our major cities.  Consideration will also be given to extending the flexi-ticket  system to include both parking and transport charges.  To encourage the use of bicycle transport, we will provide  suitable secure cycle parks in the city centre.  Establish Operation Freeflow on a permanent basis  We propose to make Operation Freeflow a permanet feature and  to extend its scope to other cities and large towns. Enforcement  of the basic traffic regulations an the visible prescence of Gardai  in a traffic management role work effectively to relieve  congestion as Operation Freeflow before Christmas last amply  demonstrated  Integrate the Dart and Luas  We are committed to extending the LUAS service to Ballymun,  the Airport and the Sandyford Industrial Estate and integrating  the Dart and Luas systems. The Luas system will be the single  most important public transport investment this century. It has  the potential, as part of an integrated traffic plan for Dublin, to  reduce congestion substantially. We see this integration initiative  as a worthy Millenium project for our capital city and one which  will be highly cost effective.  Living and Working  Fine Gael believes that we need new processes and new  initiatives in the planning of our physical environment.  Our existing systems of development plans, planning  permissions and appeals are not adequate for the new  Millennium. People do not feel they have a say or that they can  contribute to a process that determines, in large measure the  quality of their daily lives. This is particularly acute in larger  urban areas.  We do not see planning as purely an issue of zoning. It involves  where we live, the schools our children will attend, the  recreational areas they will use, the Garda' who will secure our  streets, the places we work and the roads, transport and other  services we need to live and work. Planning involves all of  these as well as the protection of the environment and our  natural resources.  A New Process  Fine Gael believes that local and regional fora for the  preparation of integrated development plans should be  established. These will involve local authorities, community and  residents groups, Garda', Chambers of Commerce, Industrial  Development Agencies, farming organisations, other groups  and the appropriate Government Departments.  Planning our physical environment is not a static exercise. It is a  vibrant changing process which must involve all interested  parties if it is to work. We will support the following initiatives:  A greater role for residents in the management of their estates  and especially the use of public areas.  The introduction of a system of pre-designating sites for  specified industrial use. This will be done in consultation with  local groups as part of the planning fora set out above. The types  of industry and the framework for environmental protection  would be agreed in advance. Any new industry meeting these  criteria would get formal permission within a short period. This  we believe would lead to more efficient and environmentally  friendly planning.  The introduction of legislation to ensure that commercial  developments such as shopping centres will have to install  closed circuit television systems which will be accessible to the  Gardai.