Collated 31 JANUARY 2020

Ageing Better Putting Older People at the Heart of the Next Government: Priorities for Election 2020 What do the Manifestos Tell Us?

The last Government has failed to adequately plan for our changing population. As a result many older people are in precarious and vulnerable situations, with groups living on an inadequate income and without access to the healthcare, housing or supports that they need.

As the population demographic in Ireland is changing, the next government has both the opportunity and responsibility to create a society where everyone in Ireland has the potential to age well.

During Election 2020, Age Action and Active Retirement Ireland are calling on the next Government to plan sufficiently for an ageing population to ensure that people remain active, engaged, and valued in their communities for as long as feasible, with choice and control over their lives, regardless of their age.

Age Action has reviewed the manifestos published by 31 January of the political parties who had sittings TDs in the last Government, for policy positions most directly relevant to older people. You can read the full manifestos of the political parties by clicking on the name of the party in the top of each column. While the summary is not exhaustive, we hope it helps to inform your vote but we are not promoting one political party over another; how you vote is for you to decide.

If you want to know more about the Ageing Better Campaign by Age Action and Active Retirement Ireland visit https://www.ageaction.ie/election- 2020-campaign-ageing-better-putting-older-people-heart-next-government-joint-initiative-age

Contents Benefits & Pension ...... 2 Income & Work ...... 5 Health/ Medical ...... 7 Home help and care ...... 10 Housing ...... 13 Other ...... 14

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020

Benefits & Pension PENSION Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Green Party Labour People before Profit Social Democrats Aontú State Age increases deferred Age increase to 67 in 2021 Return the state pension Maintain the state pension Return the pension Maintain the state Maintain the pension Pension age pending examination by a and then to 68 in 2028 age to 65 (cost €368m per age at 66 age to 65 pension age at 66. age at 66 Pensions Commission year) (cost €217m) Consider funding proposals to return the pension age to 65 State Increase the pension by €5 Increase the pension by Increase the pension by Set up a new Commission Link pension (and all social Increase the state A commitment to Pension per week every year (cost €25 per week over 5 years €20 over 5 years (cost, on Tax and Welfare to protection payments) to pension to end the auction payments €710.4m) (total of €25 per (by 2025) combined with advise on the reforms the cost of living, based on €260/week politics on week increase by 2025) maintaining the free travel needed to prepare Ireland a new national cost of (currently €248.30, pensions and to link scheme: €700m) for future macroeconomic, living index, linked to the an increase of the State Pension demographic and real cost of living on a €11.30/wk) either to 35% of the Establish a Social Welfare environmental challenges modest but sufficient average wage or to Adequacy Commission to income. Level of increase increases in public provide objective evidence to be recommend to the service pensions based annual Minister by an recommendations on independent group. adjustments to social Address anomalies faced welfare rates, to secure a by pensioners who worked minimum essential in commercial semi-states. standard of living Pass a Principles of Social Welfare Act along lines recently enacted in Scotland, that adopts a rights-based approach and requires officers to maximise the income of recipients and simplify the range of forms. All forms and welfare information must pass a strict standard for Plain English Transition Pay a transition pension State Transition Pension Restore the pension for 65 and 66 year olds for those retiring at 66, transitional pension (cost €150m) paid at the higher State scheme from the age Contributory Pension rate of 65 (cost €166m) - No labour market activation requirement, no conditionality - Income disregard

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 PENSION Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Green Party Labour People before Profit Social Democrats Aontú of €5000 per week (same as last Transition Pension)

State Pathway Pension for those retiring at 65, paid at jobseekers allowance rates but with no requirement to seek work or sign on State Introduce the planned Would like to see the Support the move to a The introduction of a pension Total Contributions rollout of a universal Total Contributions system whereby system Approach (TCA) pension for every person Approach for calculating individuals should be based on age and eligibility. The allowance given the flexibility Introduce autoenrolment residence, set at a level for home caring to be at to receive the State (all workers aged 23-60 that proofs against least 20 years over the Pension earlier or that earn over €20,000pa poverty recipient’s lifetime. later than 65. The automatically enrolled in a actual pension they pension scheme at the Merge the contributory receive would be start of their employment. and non-contributory reduced or increased Principles include capped State pensions into a on a cost neutral pension scheme charges, universal pension basis matching contributions from the state, rollout Trial Universal Basic over 10 years, opt-out Income (UBI). Work provisions, a choice of towards the adoption of a products) universal State pension as part of the UBI proposal Pension Legislate to ensure no Legislate to make it illegal Make legal changes Legislate to prevent schemes: solvent company can wind for profitable companies to stop companies profitable companies Employer up their pension without to walk away from their closing pension from walking away responsibility permission from the pension commitments schemes from their pension pension authority commitments Pension Progressively limit tax Create a National schemes: reliefs on pension Pension Scheme to Other contributions where a reduce excessive pension fund has already pension industry accumulated enough charges and funds to provide a pension guarantee pension of €48,000 per annum security Free travel Retain funding to the free Maintain the free travel Maintain the free travel Retain the Free Travel Defend free travel travel scheme scheme for all those over scheme Scheme for those over-66 66. Work with operators and implement measures Move to a policy of and NTA so it is available to counteract the negative free public transport on all publicly licensed bus impact on the availability for all routes of this scheme caused by the privatisation of routes. Particular focus will be 3

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 PENSION Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Green Party Labour People before Profit Social Democrats Aontú placed on increasing access to rural areas Other Restore fuel Improve Living Alone pension allowance, telephone Allowance above the benefits allowance and CPI rate Household Benefit package

Increase the winter fuel allowance by two weeks Disability: Top up payments to Increase payments to the Increase the Disability Recognise the extra Payments people with disabilities by disabled by €25 per week Allowance payment rate costs of living for €10 (cost €167.8m) over 5 years (€5 per week to €265/wk people with every year) disabilities through a specific cost of disability payment

Improve financial supports for disabled transport users, reintroduction of a mobility grant scheme Carers Deliver a ‘Carer’s Increase payments to Increase the Carer’s Increase the Carer’s Modernise the Guarantee’ to provide a carers by €25 per week Allowance and Benefit rate Allowance income means testing and core basket of services to over 5 years (€5 per week from €219 to €255 disregard and increase the financial carers across Ireland (cost every year) Carer’s Support Grant by compensation to €3.4m) Develop and publish a €100 family carers of National Carer’s Strategy people with long with a dedicated budget Start the process of term incapacitating introducing paid Carer’s disabilities Increase the annual Leave, in line with the new Carer’s Support Grant to Work-Life Balance €2000 (cost €40m) Directive

End the 15 hour rule restricting work and study outside the home for carers Carers Develop a pension solution Examine extending for carers that recognises the Home Carers’ the value of their work Scheme to pensioners born before 1 September 1946

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 Income & Work WORK Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Flexible work Introduce a right to Work with employees and Legislate to promote Implement the National Introduce a right to Establish a request flexible working employers to bring in greater access to remote Broadband Plan and flexible working hours Commission to arrangements in legislation flexible working guidance working. Ensure employers support the development where an employer only research, trial and across the work-force consider requests to work of working from home has to make a reasonable set out a pathway to remotely, with legal initiatives in the public and adjustment to allow for the introduction of a Publish a national strategy protections for workers other State services them. right to flexible work on remote working Establish digital hubs in Implement a National rural towns, including Flexible Working Strategy, providing high speed including best practice broadband work spaces for standards for working local businesses. from home.

Give full effect to the new Work-Life Balance Directive (an EU law adopted June 2019)

Instruct all public bodies to offer flexible working times within 6 months to employees where feasible, to improve work-life balance and reduce peak traffic congestion.

Review the evidence for a shorter working week without loss of pay e.g. 6 hour day, 4 day week. Mandatory Outlaw contracts that Legislate to end Eliminate outdated Provide an incentive for Align the retirement retirement require retirement at age mandatory retirement and mandatory retirement employers to end age with the pension 65 allow workers to work laws and push for a flexible compulsory retirement at age and adjust beyond 65 if they choose approach to retirement 65 in employment employment options. contracts, and allow contracts accordingly people to work to the pension age or longer Working past Encourage employers to Engage with employers to Employers will not have 65/66 facilitate employees who allow people to stay in to pay employers PRSI for wish to work beyond the work longer should they workers aged over 65, for age of 65 wish to do so the lifetime of the next government Enable people to defer receipt of the state contributory pension on an annual basis to include 5

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 WORK Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú actuarial increases on payment.

Facilitate those without a full social insurance record to continue making PRSI payments beyond pensionable age Lifelong Ingrain a culture of lifelong Implement a right to Investment in Learning learning within the lifelong learning. Give lifelong education so workforce. Focus on employers incentives to that employees can increasing the lifelong ensure all employees up-skill and re-skill to learning rate from 9% have access to in-work enrich the workforce currently to 18% by 2025. training and and drive their own Examine the feasibility of opportunities careers using the National Training Fund to help workers fund Create a Future Work lifelong learning Commission and implement a Future Jobs Strategy. The Future Jobs Strategy will include upskilling and retraining Unemployed Implement the employment strategy for people with disabilities, and develop incentives so employers take on workers with disabilities

Align the tax and welfare systems to make it easier for people to return to work while relying on some welfare payments. This will also assist those returning to work who have a disability Community Ensure people over 62 Employment years of age will be able to Scheme remain on a CE scheme until they reach pension age Minimum target of 6% employment rate for people with disabilities for public bodies is fully implemented, and 6

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 WORK Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú extended to public sector contractors

Health/ Medical HEALTH Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP SD Aontú Medical card Implement the Incrementally increase the Automatic medical card to Free GP care to everyone Raise the medical Budget2020 increase in threshold for medical cancer patients, and any with a long-term illness or card income the income threshold for cards for people over 70 defence forces member serious disability, if not a disregard for people over 70’s back to 2012 levels who has to leave the force Medical Card with disabilities who due to a medical condition are at work Increase the income limits for medical cards and GP Increase income visit cards to take account thresholds for the medical of wage inflation card

Secure medical cards for people with disabilities, immune to changes in household finances or employment status Prescription Abolish prescription Further reduce Abolish prescription Reduce prescription charges charges (cost €68m) prescription charges charges charges for patients Sláintecare Implement the new Long term financial Fully implement Support the Sláintecare Redirect health funding Provide a universal Deliver the regional structures commitment to deliver Sláintecare over 10 years plan and commit to so it is aligned to health service free at Sláintecare reform proposed under Sláintecare Sláintecare. (create and Irish National adequately funding population medical need the point of delivery, programme. Fully- Health Service) healthcare reform through funded by tax and funded Expand free GP care on the that framework, as Redirect funding to local planned by health implementation basis of means in line with Ensure fair, transparent healthcare demands primary care centres to workers and service would be an absolute Sláintecare’s goal and regionally balanced continue to increase with bring health services users, emphasising red line for any healthcare planning an ageing population closer to communities prevention and social potential discussions support on coalition after the election. Create a network of community primary Expand diagnostic care centres and services, such as x- provide free GP care rays, in local Primary for all Care Centres to make services more accessible Free GP care Expand free GP care on the Extend free GP care to Roll out free GP care over Free GP care to everyone Free GP care for all. Phased extension of basis of means in line with carers in receipt of Carer’s 5 years. In the first year, 2 with a long-term illness or Publicly funded free GP Care Sláintecare’s goals and in Support Grant free GP visits for all serious disability, if not a online GP service for alignment with an without medical cards/GP Medical Card after hours expansion in capacity visit cards. Expand the threshold for GP visit cards year on year. Drug Reduce the Drug Payment Reduce the Drug Payment 7

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HEALTH Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP SD Aontú Payment Scheme threshold to €100 Scheme threshold to Scheme: per month (cost €14.3m) €75per month Threshold Increasing the threshold for medical cards for people over 70 back to 2012 levels Drug Reduce the Drug Payment Payment Scheme threshold for Scheme: single households to €72 Singles per month (cost €8.3m) threshold Cost of Establish a National Free prescription Review drug procurement Implement the National Reduce the cost of Medicine Medicines Agency to medicines for all (and policies to ensure that the Biosimilar Policy medication to the reduce the cost of abolish prescription Irish taxpayer is getting health service medicines and set a fair charges) (Total combined value for money by Modernise the National through reform price for drug cost €330m) switching to generic Medicines Supply and measures reimbursement medicine procurement or Pricing Agreement ‘biosimilars’ when Implement a National practicable Biosimilars Policy to help patients toaccess cheaper medicines Safeguarding Legislate for mandatory reporting by certain professionals where an adult has suffered abuse or harm, or is at risk of doing so Advocacy Legislate for a statutory Fully commence the right to advocacy Assisted DecisionMaking Legislate for Advanced (Capacity) Act 2015 Care Directives to allow patients to have input into Pass legislation their future care including the Disability Ratify the optional (Miscellaneous protocol of the UN Provisions) Bill 2016 Convention on the Rights and new legislation of Persons with Disabilities on the Deprivation of (UCRPD) Liberty

Ratify the optional protocol of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HEALTH Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP SD Aontú (UCRPD)

Full monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities Loneliness Encourage book clubs for Increase funding to Review the benefits of older people to tackle address mental health/ social prescribing (linking loneliness. Increase isolation issues in rural patients to non-medical funding to libraries and communities sources of support within community groups to the community via expand the network of primary care) and book clubs implement the findings Physical Nationwide roll out of Expand the number Activity successful initiatives run by of playgrounds, or in conjunction with pools, gyms, parks Local Sports Partnerships. and green spaces These include the ‘Go for and venues that are Life Games’ which universally designed. promote physical activity among older people Palliative Publish a new Palliative Palliative care be further care CarePolicy for Adults by expanded, with training in mid-2021 the process of dying and universal palliative care to be required for all clinical, care and ancillary staff Other Health Psychiatry of Later Life Abolish the €100 charge Extend Breastcheck to Additional funding teams are running at less for use of Emergency women aged 65-69 for dementia and than two-thirds of the Departments and the €75 (currently free to women Alzheimer’s services level recommended: make per day charge for aged 50-64 only) and for palliative it a priority to reach a full inpatient care (cost €48m) care. complement of staff within Extend bowel screening five years Explore rolling out a to 55-74 (currently for Roll-out of chronic reablement programme those aged 60-69, offered care programmes every 2 years) such as for asthma Implement a National and arthritis Dementia Strategy Increase investment in services that help prevent Remove hospital Ensure timely dementia blindness or loss of inpatient charges diagnosis, post-diagnosis hearing support and access to a Implement the dementia advisor for National Dementia follow-up support Strategy (NDS), improving homecare Training throughout health and community and social care services for supports for people 9

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HEALTH Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP SD Aontú staff dealing with people with dementia, and with dementia integrating dementia into the Chronic Integrate dementia into Disease the Chronic Disease Management Management Programme Programme

Expand Old Age Psychiatry

Home help and care HOME CARE Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Home help 5 million additional home 1 million additional hours 12 million additional home Provide a home care Return to a home- Abolition of Home help hours (cost €260m) of home care this year, and help hours over 5 years to package to every help system Care waiting lists an additional 1 million meet growing and unmet identified case organised on a through investment every year after that (total need (cost €59m) (2.4m community co- in providing home 5 million in the term of additional hours per year) Further develop operative basis (not care packages and government) individualised budgeting a stop-watch system step down facilities. Increase step down for care services to give where carers tag in facilities recipients autonomy and for each minute) Improve homecare choice. Increase the and community funding for personal supports for people assistance services with dementia

Increase funding for home help and respite care.

Increase the number of step-down beds Statutory Develop a statutory Make home care a Introduce a statutory Guarantee a right to ‘age Introduce a statutory home care system of home care statutory right home care scheme in place’. This is comprised right to Home Care of a right to housing and a and Personal right to home care. Assistance Home care: Ensure that anyone Ensure access to Increase funding for Dementia diagnosed with dementia dementia-specific home dementia home care should be allowed to care supports apply for home helps or home care packages, including intensive packages within allocated resources. Outsourcing Review the outsourcing of Increase the role of the An urgent review of the home care so that a wider public and not-for-profit private provision of Home range of supports become sector in the provision of Care to people with available home supports additional needs 10

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HOME CARE Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Long term Develop a national Implement the integrated Develop an Elder Care care strategy for long term Care Programme for Older Strategy, including new care that includes funding People technology and medical and financing the devices, and remote statutory system of home access to medical care consultation GP care in Negotiate a new contract nursing to underpin General homes Practice for the next 30 years to include issues such as Women’s Health Programmes, Out of Hours Services and Services to patients in Nursing Homes Fair Deal: Increase Fair Deal funding Urgent review of Nursing Introduce new Funding & by €225m Home Support (Fair Deal) legislation to remove Charges Scheme and the the barriers to letting Ensure no Fair Deal upgrading, renovation and a vacant home under resident is charged for retrofitting of existing the Fair Deal scheme services they do not use facilities ahead of bed closures

Review the Fair Deal Scheme to incentivise people to rent out empty properties Fair deal: Implement the proposed Implement the Fair deal Farmers Fair Deal changes for arrangements for farmers farming families and business owners Residential Introduce independent Increase the number of Activate and extend care appeals process for nursing home beds by the Financial nursing home providers 1,250 over the term of Contribution Scheme under the Nursing Home government for Older Persons so Support Scheme. that older people Ban unfair charges for who want step-down nursing home residents housing in a i.e. medical care that they sheltered housing would get for free if they setting can do so were in the community Improve investment in residential care Disability: Increase personal Increase personal Provide people with Extra personal Personal assistance hours by 1.5m assistant hours by 1.5m disabilities with the assistant hours and assistance/ (cost €36.6m) (cost€37.5m) right to choose the an assistive Rehab/ services which best technology passport. Independence Reinstate the meet their needs Rehabilitative Training Promote the uptake 11

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HOME CARE Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Allowance Ensure the right of of adaptation and people with mobility aids grants Legislate to require the disabilities to live as to enable removal of barriers to autonomous adults independent living independent living e.g. for persons with accessible polling stations disabilities as too many Councils don’t spend their full allocation

Fully commence the Disability Act 2005

Restore the Rehabilitative Training Allowance Home care: Psychiatry of Later Life Psychiatry teams are running at less than two-thirds of the level recommended: make it a priority to reach a full complement of staff within five years and endeavour to ensure that older people can receive care in their own home National Will use the expanded Treatment €200m National Purchase Treatment Purchase Fund Fund to help cut down on waiting lists that are hampering early assessment and treatment

Care Services: Increase respite care The continued Protect wages and Provide an adequate Other services by 20% development of an conditions for social- amount and independent advocacy care workers and full adequate quality of service for participants in support for home respite care daycare and residential carers, including services proper provision for respite Medical care Increased numbers of Examine introducing a 24- Open a mobile at home advanced paramedics who hour phoneline for minor doctor’s service to could treat patients in health queries ensure that rural their own homes, so that people can be seen they would not need to in an emergency come to hospital

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 Housing HOUSING Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Housing Increase Housing Double funding for, and Increase funding for Improved funding for Adaptation Adaptation grants by improve access to, housing adaptation grants housing adaptation grants (HAG) €20m housing adaptation grants grants for people with disabilities (cost €57m) Put in place a planning Create flexibility in infrastructure and a assessment and payment stream of additional of the grant to allow local supports for People authorities to pay a grant with Disabilities to above the current grant deal with housing, cap of €30,000, where the transport, poverty, need is great. health access, and several other areas Make the HAG payable to of concern voluntary housing agencies and private landlords who are willing to adapt to the requirements of a long- term tenant with disabilities Social Housing Directly build 50,000 Add 60,000 social homes Referendum to enshrine Prioritise constitutional Constitutional reform Referendum to Referendum to social homes by 2025 over 5 years the right to housing in the reform to guarantee a including recognition of enshrine the right to enshrine the right to constitution right to housing, starting the right to housing. housing in the housing in the by calling for a constitution constitution 100,000 public homes referendum on the issue Fund the building of over 5 years – note it is 80,000 homes Build 100,000 council Build 100,000 homes unclear how many will be houses over 5 years over 5 years (one social housing Require local councils to (cost €14b) third social housing, achieve evidence-based one third affordable Prioritise the use of public targets for specialised rent, one third land for delivery of public forms of housing including affordable purchase) housing accessible social housing for people with a disability Diverse Work to ensure our ageing Ensure that a minimum of Develop and implement a Implement Designate housing population has a range of 7% of all public houses are national strategy for age- regulations that developments for options for living designed for people with friendly villages and ensure all homes and older people to be independently, in line with disabilities and fully bespoke retirement public buildings are built on small infill the policy ‘Housing Options wheelchair accessible villages in larger towns accessible and built sites in cities/ towns, for Our Ageing Population’ and suburbs so that older in accordance with and new estates Develop universal design people can live the needs of people include a mix of and lifetime adaptability independently near shops throughout their older people’s guidelines and regulations and services lifespan homes so that all new buildings meet the needs of people Reform planning law

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Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 HOUSING Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú with disabilities to ensure that older persons housing is provided as part of every new development. Designated, purpose built homes would address mobility challenges and safety concerns.

Ensure a minimum of 7% of social housing to meet universal design standards, with higher percentages applying for areas of higher need.

Other OTHER Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú National Positive Implement the National Implement the National Ageing Strategy Positive Ageing Strategy Positive Ageing Strategy on a whole-of- government basis Climate/ Fuel Ringfence the Focus on workers - Just Focus on peat workers - Ensure that the climate Ringfence all receipts from Put a carbon tax on Establish a Just poverty proceeds of the Transition mentioned in Establish a Just Transition action necessary for a the carbon tax to fund the big polluters, not Transition Task Force carbon tax to create a relation to workers and task force and provide an bright future does not warmer homes, public on ordinary people Just Transition fund communities which may be additional €4m to the Just disproportionately affect transport, new sustainable Ringfence the that will be spent on negatively affected. Carbon Transition fund annual vulnerable older people jobs and other measures Create a just income from carbon areas including tax funds ringfenced for budget. to reduce hardship caused transition for taxes to fund the protecting those on ‘climate action, Just Introduce a mechanism to by the transition to a low workers and farmers retrofitting homes low incomes and Transition and reducing No carbon tax increases return all the carbon tax carbon economy tackling fuel poverty energy poverty’ until there are viable revenues raised to citizens Set up a national alternatives e.g. public by increasing social Focus is on workers - construction agency New retrofitting plan to be transport and renewable welfare payments and tax Support the campaign for to retrofit homes to published in 2020 energy credits a Just Transition, including the highest energy setting up a Just Transition efficiency standards Implement a strategic plan fund and Task Force to for deep retrofitting of invest in businesses that Irish building stock, are helping workers and including financial communities to make the supports for deep retrofit transition of private and rented homes based on Provide funding for local assessment of the full government to deliver a 14

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 OTHER Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú range of benefits it can home insulation scheme unlock. e.g. lower energy to reach 100,000 homes bills, increased comfort, per year avoiding repair costs from damp, reduced health costs, increased property value, the creation of skilled jobs and locking-in reduced carbon emissions for the lifespan of the building. Digital Skills Publish a new 10-year A cross-departmental Develop and implement a Develop a cross- Support national governmental strategy on approach to literacy and strategy for adult literacy, departmental Literacy digital literacy literacy within the first year, development of a numeracy and digital skills Ireland Strategy, programmes and place the support for government strategy to combining diverse targeting children, adult literacy, numeracy increase literacy and Support digital literacy budgets across multiple marginalised groups and digital skills at the numeracy (does not education for all ages departments into a single and older people. centre of our education specifically mention across the country, to fund policy digital, although reading allow people of all ages and writing are and backgrounds to mentioned) benefit from IT Broadband Deliver high speed Rollout the current National Implement the National Complete the Rural Explore legal action broadband as Broadband Plan Broadband Plan while Broadband Rollout to retain public currently planned exercising all available through a state-led ownership of the options to minimise the investment broadband network, cost and maximise the use programme. Scrap and ensure that of the new service the existing quality internet expensive privatised provision is available deal throughout rural Ireland Futureproofing/ Run a budgetary surplus Set up a new Commission Develop and implement a Intergenerational every year to protect on Tax and Welfare to road map to ensure the against shocks to the tax advise on the reforms long-term sustainability of base or declining revenue needed to prepare Ireland the social insurance fund, for future ensuring the fund remains Reduce public debt as a macroeconomic, solvent as the population proportion of national demographic and ages income every year environmental challenges Post Offices Support post office Examine the feasibility of Expand the role of existing Expand the role of Post Stop the closure of plans to offer a setting up a shared service post offices and promote Offices to increase their local post offices and broader range of for the delivery of offline the reopening of post viability by offering other other state facilities services including government services offices where they have public services and state services. Include been closed by increasing trialling offering services Create a local social a Public Service the delivery of public from community and hub in every town Obligation to maintain services through the voluntary bodies with citizen’s advice, core standards for the network a post office, library, post office network tourist information etc 15

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 OTHER Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú Public Transport Introduce specific Make all public transport Provide secure and Make public Make our public and public transport police services fully wheelchair sheltered waiting spaces transport accessible private transport to ensure a safe accessible (“Access Ireland in public transport hubs for all. Equip all system fully experience for public Transport”), including stations, stops and accessible transport users replacing non-wheelchair- Ensure that all train vehicles to be accessible vehicles and stations are fully genuinely accessible. Improve regulations accessibility works to bus accessible by ringfencing Train and employ and funding stops, bus and train funding for lift repairs and staff to assist access. conditions so that stations and train fleet station maintenance and access to buses, by ending the practice of Move to a policy of trains, and taxis is Use public procurement to leaving stations free public transport improved for people promote accessibility in unmanned with disabilities taxi fleets by giving extra weighting to accessibility Examine no/low-fare in taxi contract processes model for public transport

Create a new policing unit specifically for Public Transport Rural Transport Double funding for Local Expand the Rural Establish a rural bus Increase funding for Link/ Rural Transport Transport Programme and company that would Local Link to €100m Programme to expand it supplement it with more act as a taxi service and seek to improve to more areas and provide scheduled bus services for rural people this over time more evening transport without cars. Make for socialising all current buses wheelchair-friendly Increase capital and PSO funding for Bus Éireann Provide a high-speed and Iarnrod Éireann to rail service joining increase transport services cities and towns in rural areas from Cork to Donegal Crime against the Increase penalties for elderly crimes committed against the elderly Funeral poverty Research into the cost of bereavement and funeral poverty in Ireland (partnership with Irish Hospice Foundation) Pedestrians Provide more zebra crossing to prioritise walking as a way of getting around

Introduce new regulations to reduce the waiting time 16

Collated 31 JANUARY 2020 OTHER Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Sinn Féin Greens Labour PBP Social Democrats Aontú to a maximum of 30 seconds for pedestrian signal times and ensure that all pedestrians have adequate time to cross the road Mobile Ensure all parts of the country have quality mobile phone coverage Arts Access Develop multipurpose accessible venues nationwide to accommodate both daytime and night-time cultural and creative activities Veterans Create a National Veterans Policy. Support the implementation of the Veterans’ Strategy (Dept of Defence Dec 2018), and the establishment of an Office for Veterans Affairs Poverty Restore the Combat Poverty Agency. The agency will help government develop economic and social policies that reduce poverty and economic inequality Property tax No increase in Abolish the local property property taxes tax Car Insurance Create a public not- End discrimination for-profit car against drivers of insurance company older cars

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