& Giving workers families a break A Manifesto for Change Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2020 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN Contents Sinn Féin Policy Platform 3 Irish Unity 11 Agriculture, Food and the Marine 13 Business, Enterprise and Innovation 17 Children and Youth Affairs 21 Communications, Climate Action and Environment 25 Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 31 Irish language 32 Defence 34 Education 45 Foreign Affairs and Trade 41 Health 45 Housing planning and local Government 63 Justice and Equality 69 Disability 74 Older people 78 Rural and community development 82 Social Protection 83 Child poverty 84 Transport, Tourism and Sport 88 Political reform 96 Workers’ rights 98 Public Expenditure and Reform 101 Finance 103 1 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN TIME FOR CHANGE TIME FOR SINN FÉIN 2020 witnesses the centenary of refused the right to a state pension? key events in the struggle for Irish Is it reflected in a political freedom. It’s timely therefore to establishment which shamefully sticks measure the reality of Ireland in its head in the sand in the face of the 2020 against the ideals of those who, growing support for Irish reunification 100 years ago fought to establish an and which refuses to prepare egalitarian republic and a reign of responsibly for that eventuality? social justice for the Irish people. This is not the vision of those who Is the ideal of that republic reflected sacrificed so much for Irish freedom. in scenes of homeless children eating Yet this is the reality of an Ireland their dinner off the pavement outside created by those who have been in the GPO? Government here for nearly 100 years. Or in the indignity of elderly people In that time we have had Governments left to suffer for days on hospital for the wealthy, Governments for trolleys? the privileged, Governments for the Is it reflected in the horror of people property developers, Governments for forced to live in tents, because they the banks. don’t have a home? Sinn Féin believes that it’s time that we Or in the reality of working couples, had a government for the people. unable to afford a home? A government that puts the welfare of Is it reflected in Irish working families its citizens above vested interests. unable to provide proper meals for A United Ireland in which the economy their children or to meet domestic serves the needs of our people and bills? not the other way around. Or in citizens who have worked hard A government whose aim is to make all their adult lives, being forced Ireland the best country in which to to draw the dole because they are live, work and grow old in. 3 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN The current Fine Gael Government, We will deliver for the environment - supported by Fianna Fáil, has shown investing an additional €1bn in public a complete lack of empathy and a transport. detachment from the reality of life for We will deliver on pension rights – most people in Ireland in 2020. people should have the right to retire At every step over the last four years at the age of 65. they have sided with landlords, We will cut the exorbitant cost of developers, insurance companies and childcare. vulture funds. And our people have been left the poorer for it. Successive We will end the insurance rip off. governments have delivered for Sinn Féin wants to be in Government their friends and cronies. They have to deliver for ordinary, working people. delivered for big business, for vested But we don’t want to be part of the interests and for golden circles. system. We want to change the In Government, Sinn Féin will deliver system. for the people. We are asking you to give us a chance. We will deliver homes - introducing the Vote for Sinn Féin this time. Vote for us largest public housing programme in now, in this election, and judge us on the history of the State. how we perform and how we deliver. We will tackle the hospital crisis And, with the support of a growing - opening 1,500 beds and hiring number of people, Sinn Féin can and thousands more nurses and midwives. will transform Irish politics. We will deliver for workers and hard We will build a new, United Ireland pressed families – by abolishing the where our citizens come first. USC on the first €30,000 earned, saving workers up to €700 per annum. 4 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN A say in Ireland’s Future Money in Your Pocket We need to start planning for a Unity Sinn Féin will give workers and families a break Referendum to reap the economic benefits of putting more money in their pockets. a United Ireland. It’s time the people of Ireland had their say. We will: Abolish the USC on the first Sinn Féin will: » €30,000 earned, saving Seek the full workers up to €700 per » implementation of the Good annum. Cost - €1.2bn per Friday Agreement annum Publish a White Paper on End the insurance rip-off » Irish Unity » and ban dual pricing Establish a Joint Oireachtas Reduce the cost of childcare » Committee on Irish Unity » by €500 per child per month. Cost - €500 million Secure a referendum, North per annum » and South, on a United Ireland Abolish the Property Tax, » saving families an average of €244 a year. Cost - €485 million per annum A Roof over your Head End third level fees - €243 Sinn Féin will deliver the state’s biggest ever » million public housing programme. We will cut and freeze rents, ensure the availability of affordable housing and end the scandal of homelessness. A Right to Retire Sinn Féin will: Sinn Féin will stop the pension age increase to 67 and return it to 65. We will prohibit Reduce rents by up » mandatory retirement, ensuring that those to €1,500 a year, via a who want to continue working can do so. refundable tax credit, and freeze them for three years Sinn Féin will: Build 100,000 homes » Return the retirement age over 5 years. This will » to 65. Cost - €368million per include council housing year. and affordable homes for renters and first time buyers. Cost - €6.5bn Give the Central Bank » powers to cap mortgage interest rates so customers are not ripped off 5 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN Healthcare When You A Safe Community Sinn Féin will crack down on crime, returning Need it Garda numbers to record levels, ensuring Sinn Féin will tackle the trolley crisis - ending faster response times and safer communities. the recruitment ban, hiring more nurses, opening more beds and providing more Home Sinn Féin will: Help hours. Increase Garda numbers to » We will address the fact that many communities 16,000. Cost - €142 million lack access to a GP. We are committed to Recruit 2,000 additional the delivery of a National Health Service for » civilian staff freeing up Ireland. Gardaí from desk duties. Cost - €80 million Sinn Féin will: Establish a Sentencing End the recruitment » » council to ensure sentences ban, hiring 2,500 more match the seriousness of nurses and midwives the crime and 1,000 more doctors and consultants. Cost - Ensure more resources for » €358million per annum DPP, Courts Service and CAB. Cost - €10 million Open 1,500 more beds. » Cost - €480 million in annual current expenditure and €1bn for capital Deliver 12 million additional » home help hours over the term of the government to clear the waiting list. Cost - €59 million per annum for additional hours. Increase GP training places » and recruit more public health nurses 6 2020 GENERAL ELECTION SINN FÉIN MANIFESTO2020 FORÓGRA SINN FÉIN, OLLTOGHCHÁN AM DON ATHRÚ AM DO SHINN FÉIN Agus 2020 linn tá céad bliain ann Céard faoi na saoránaigh sin a chuir ó tharla cuid de na heachtraí ba isteach saol oibre iomlán agus a bhfuil thábhachtaí sa streachailt ar son orthu brath ar leas sóisialta mar gur saoirse na hÉireann. Mar sin, is mithid diúltaíodh dóibh dul ar an bpinsean dúinn an saol mar atá in Éirinn sa Stáit? bhliain 2020 a mheas i gcomhthéacs An maireann an t-idéal sin nuair a ard idéil na ndaoine siúd a thug troid thugann an t-aicme pholaitiúil cluas céad bliain ó shin le go mbainfí amach bodhar don tacaíoacht atá ann poblacht comhionannach agus go d’Aontacht na hÉireann atá ag méadú i gcuirfear i réim an chóir shóisialach do gconaí agus a dhiúltaíonn ullmhúchán mhuintir na hÉireann. ceart a dhéanamh don An léir idéal na Poblachta sin nuair a Ní hé seo an fhís a bhí acu siúd a thug fheictear páistí ag ithe a ndinnéar iad a raibh acu ar son saoirse na hÉireann. suite ar an gcosán os cionn Ard Oifig an Ach seo mar atá an saol in Éirinn faoi Phoist? mar a chruthaíodh é ag an dream siúd Nó an mbraitear é nuair a fhágtar atá i gcumhacht le céad bliain nach mór. seanóirí ag fulaingt ar throllaithe ar Le linn na tréimhse sin bhí rialtais feadh laethanta in ospidéil? éagsúla ar bun ar mhaithe le lucht an An aithnítear é i gcás na mílte lanúin rachmais, na boic mhóra, na forbróirí nach bhfuil in ann teach a cheannach? maoine agus leis na bainc. An bhfuil a rian ar chás na dteaghlach Creideann Sinn Féin go bhfuil sé in am a oibríonn go crua ach nach bhfuil in do rialtas an phobail bheith ann.