Green Party 2011 General Election Manifesto Unabridged Version

8/7/2019 Green Party 2011 General Election Manifesto Unabridged Version

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Playing to our Strengths – rebuilding a vibrant and sustainable Irisheconomy

Introduction

Our economic recovery must be green. Anything else will be unsustainable and will not last.Our new economy must acknowledge that we will reach a peak in oil production in the near future. Our new economic system must reject the greed of a few in favour of prosperity for all.Our new economic system must be built on solid and sustainable foundations. Our neweconomy will be green.

In the past three years, despite extremely difficult economic conditions, the Green Economyhas flourished, bringing tens of thousands of new jobs with it. And the good news is that this is just the beginning, we are only getting started. The Green Party projects that over the nextdecade the Green Economy will expand to create over 80,000 jobs. We will continue to investin the programmes and technologies that allow for these jobs to be brought on stream.

We know that our public finances were dangerously reliant on a limited number of

unsustainable revenue streams. Our over-reliance on property as a means of funding our public services was short sighted and irresponsible. As part of the next government, theGreen will work to ensure that these failures can never happen again. We will create quality jobs in sectors that are here for the long term, we will introduce a range of taxes that are bothequitable and sustainable and we will ensure that our public finances are managed in aresponsible manner with appropriate checks and balances and independent review.

Smart Green Jobs

In Government, the Green Party has facilitated the creation of over 20,000 Green Sector jobsthrough a range of green businesses such as organic farming, energy efficient construction,electric cars, biofuels, manufacturing, servicing and in the energy sectors, and particularly inthe area of green electricity.

Building the new economy needs to focus on two distinct tasks:

1. Stimulating domestic demand in the sectors based on our indigenous resources, and

2. Growing international exports in the sectors based on our human resources

Tapping into the wealth of Ireland’s natural resources is our best opportunity to generatelarge-scale domestic employment and to kick-start the domestic economy once again. Our natural resources are at core of three key sectors, which will be the champions of our newdomestic economy – Green Energy, Sustainable Food and Green Tourism.

As an open, trading economy Ireland has long relied on growing exports to grow its economy.We currently export €150 billion of goods each year and exports are one of the few areas of

the economy that are successfully weathering the recession. By focussing on select industrieswhere we have a competitive advantage, we can build on this base and grow our tradingcapability in high-value, low-carbon products and services. That competitive advantagepresents itself most compellingly in three sectors – Traded Creative Services, High-TechManufacturing and Financial Services.

Green Energy

In Government, the Green Party facilitated the creation of over 20,000 Green Sector jobsthrough a range of green initiatives. One of the most successful schemes initiated by EamonRyan as Minister for Energy was Ireland’s first National Retrofit Programme. €100 million isinvested annually in retrofitting some 50,000 houses a year and 5,000 construction jobs have

been created in the process.



The Green Party wants to go further. By drawing an additional €500 million from the NationalPension Reserve Fund, we intend to scale up the National Retrofit Programme so that wedouble that figure to 100,000 premises retrofitted every year. This will mean that 1 million of the 1.8 million homes in Ireland will be insulated by 2020, making it the most innovative,ambitious, energy-related initiative ever introduced in Ireland. 25,000 new jobs will be createdunder the Programme.

During our time in Government, we oversaw the generation of 15% of our electricity fromrenewable sources in 2010 and put Ireland on track to meet our 40% target by 2020. Thedevelopment of renewable energy resources that can be sold to both the national andinternational marketplace is crucial to generating local employment.

Ocean and tidal energy is already proving itself to be a rich source of FDI, wealth and jobcreation. SEAI have calculated that a potential €120 billion and 70,000 jobs can be generatedbetween now and 2050 with the right ambition and policy framework.

We have some of the best wind resources in the world and thanks to the Greens inGovernment we have already begun tapping into them. It is estimated that by 2030 more than375,000 people will be employed in the European wind energy sector. We will also work to

achieve the 2020 targets for bioenergy production set out in the Bioenergy Roadmap. This willcreate 8,000 new jobs, particularly in rural and farming communities, while at the same timeavoiding in excess of 11 million tonnes of CO2 each year.

All of this natural power requires a state-of-the-art transmission, distribution and storagenetwork. Whilst Minister, Eamon Ryan secured a €30 billion investment by 2025 in the energynetworks, smart grid, smart meters, renewable energy and energy efficiency by our Stateenergy utilities.

Underpinning the national infrastructure plan is Ireland’s participation in the North SeasOffshore Grid Plan. We will turn this Plan into a reality and ensure that Ireland emerges as anet exporter of renewable power to the planned European Supergrid.

The Green Party will:

• Using €500 million from the National Pension Reserve Fund, scale up the NationalRetrofit Programme so that 100,000 premises will be retrofitted every year. This willmean that 1 million homes will be insulated by 2020 and 25,000 new jobs will becreated under the Programme.

• Develop and deliver a roadmap which allows for the development of ocean and tidalenergy, with a potential yield of €120 billion to the local economy and those 70,000 jobs.

• Ensure that Ireland participates in the North Seas Offshore Grid Plan.

Green Tourism

Tourism in Ireland is a €5 billion industry and helps support 119,000 jobs. While the sector hasundergone contraction over the past few years, the Green Party believes tourism remains oneof our most important sources of local employment and wealth creation. We are committed tomaking it strong once more. Our unrivalled reputation as the ‘Green Isle of the thousandwelcomes’ puts it in prime position to establish Ireland as a world-leading Green holidaydestination. This much neglected sector has the potential to reinvigorate local economies andstimulate job growth.


• Introduce a Green Star rating system for Eco Tourism in Ireland.• Establish an Eco Tourism unit within Fáilte Ireland to coordinate, certify and promote

the Green Star initiative.



• Launch a ‘Proud Cities’ Programme, involving projects such as major new parks,traffic-free areas and eco-communities to demonstrate the benefits of sustainableliving.

• Develop the potential for “Food Tourism”, starting with “food trails” and the provisionof food in public houses, particularly in rural areas.

• Promote the development of cycling as a growth area for tourism.• Introduce an All-Ireland Walkways Development Plan, mapping out infrastructural

needs and routes and maximising their use. We will pursue the possibility of usingformer railway infrastructure as recreational trails for walking and cycling etc. inpartnership with Iarnród Éireann.

• Position the suite of Discover Ireland websites as exemplars for an information,content and reservation tourism system, with ease of booking and comprehensivelinkages to industry platforms.

• Promote the creation of marinas and youth and child friendly water sports toencourage activity and awareness of our maritime country.

Sustainable Food

Irish farming already boasts an €8 billion export market based on the richness of our land andthe talent of our people. This sector employs around 110,000 both directly and indirectly.Farming remains the lifeblood of our rural economy.

We can expand this sector by harnessing and growing our international reputation as ‘theGreen Isle’. By positioning ourselves at the premium quality end of the market, we can in factcreate more jobs and more value through lower intensity farming methods.

As part of the next government the Green Party will ensure that organic agriculture accountsfor 5% of our land. We will declare Ireland a GM-Free Zone and introduce a voluntary GM-Free logo for use in all relevant product labelling and advertising, thereby optimising Ireland’scompetitive advantage as a GM-Free country.

We will introduce new public procurement guidelines that give greater weight to local produceand we will promote a network of farmers' markets at Local Authority level to encourage moredirect selling from producers to consumers. These two initiatives will boost both local demandand local employment.


• Ensure the achievement of the target of 5% of land in organic agriculture and meetthe growing demand for domestically produced organic produce by providingadequate resources and supports for the achievement of the target, with a focus onimport substitution in areas where Ireland is under-producing at present e.g.horticulture. Beginning in 2010, and rising in subsequent years, we will step upsupports for the Organic Farming Scheme for conversion to organic production,Capital Grants for the Organic Sector and Non-Capital costs.

• Declare the Republic of Ireland a GM-Free Zone, free from the cultivation of all GMplants.

• Optimise Ireland’s competitive advantage as a GM-Free country, we will introduce avoluntary GM-Free logo for use in all relevant product labelling and advertising,similar to a scheme recently introduced in Germany.

• Conduct a review of our National Food Security Policy to develop resilience in foodproduction capacity to future proof against substantial rises in price and diminishingavailability of oil and to meet the challenge of Climate Change.

• Increase horticulture production to meet the requirements for Irish- produced fruit andvegetables, in line with recommendations in the Obesity Report.



• Ensure that new public procurement guidelines for food include criteria based ongiving greater weight to sustainable local produce, seasonal menus and organicproduction, building on good practice in other EU countries in this area.

• Review standards to ensure that micro-production and direct selling by producers arenot impeded, building on good practice from other EU countries.

•

Promote a positive environment within the food inspection systems to foster innovation in the food business. In particular we will ensure adequate training andsupport for relevant officials to assist them in providing advice to start-ups, facilitatinggrowth and innovation and fostering a problem-solving environment within thesystem.

• Promote and support a network of farmers' markets at Local Authority level toencourage more direct selling from producers to consumers.

• Develop a template for the establishment of farm-gate shops and ensure that thenecessary legislative arrangements are made to facilitate this.

• Develop and introduce a ‘healthy schools’ meals policy, building on existing pilotprojects, and implement it gradually across the country.

• Implement a Code of Practice for doing business in the Grocery Goods Sector to

develop a fair trading relationship between retailers and their suppliers. We willreview progress of the Code and if necessary we will put in place a mandatory code.

Forestry

As home of the best tree-growing conditions in Ireland, forestry has the potential to make avery significant contribution to local enterprise, local employment and Ireland’s energysecurity. Although only in its infancy, the sector already generates over 1% of GDP andemploys over 16,000 people, mostly in rural areas. In Government, the Green Party will plant15,000 ha per annum, which will generate almost 500 new jobs directly. Significantdownstream employment will also be created as a result.


• Support greater encouragement of Close to Nature-Continuous Cover non clear-fellforestry management systems to maximise potential employment, whilst alsoaddressing key climate change, energy, economic and ecological priorities.

• A minimum of 10,000 ha per annum planting until 2035 with an aim to achieveplanting of 15,000 ha per annum.

• Planting 10,000 ha per annum to deliver 327 new direct sustainable jobs per year, inestablishing, managing, harvesting and processing that timber. There would befurther valuable 'downstream' employment created.

• Deliver compliance with international sustainable forestry objectives, the enforcementof illegal logging policies, support green procurement initiatives, and biodiversity and

heritage criteria.• Maximise the potential of the forestry industry to contribute to the renewable

bioenergy/biomass sector.

High Tech Manufacturing High Tech Manufacturing in chemicals, pharma and medical devices account for nearly half of Ireland's €150 billion annual export performance. Having grown at an annual rate of 13.2% inthe third quarter of 2010, it is clear that export-intensive sectors remain a critical componentof our economy. These companies are a combination of world leading international players attracted to Ireland

and indigenous Irish businesses often led by Irish former employees of the Multi Nationals.We continue to attract a disproportionate share of top quality foreign direct investment (FDI)



into these sectors. IDA secured 126 investments in 2010 and IDA Ireland companies created10,897 new jobs in 2010. The Green Party believes that with increased competitiveness wecan double that figure this year, and every year for the next four years.

Our strength in research and development remains one of the key attraction points for foreigncompanies. Investment in science, research, development and innovation came to over

€500m in 2010 and real momentum has developed behind the goal of making Ireland aGlobal Innovation Hub. The Green Party will build on that momentum and ensure 3% of GDPis invested in R&D. We will increase the funding to Science Foundation Ireland to protect andgrow the research base in our priority areas. Indigenous Irish companies are the other key part of our high-tech manufacturing base.Enterprise Ireland client companies are responsible for over 250,000 jobs and spend anestimated €19bn per annum in the Irish economy. They have estimated that some 60,000additional new jobs can be generated by Irish companies by 2015. The Green Party inGovernment will ensure that this target is exceeded. We will achieve that by reformingEnterprise Ireland’s assessment and grant system so that a much greater emphasis is placedon commercialisation and job creation.


• Ensure 3% of GDP is invested in Research & Development.• Increase the funding to Science Foundation Ireland to protect and grow the research

base in our priority areas.• Reform Enterprise Ireland’s assessment and grant system so that a much greater

emphasis is placed on commercialisation and job creation.

Traded Creative Services

There were over 73,000 people employed in ICT in Ireland in 2009, up 6% increase on the

previous year. Our creative services industry holds huge promise and potential for jobs andeconomic growth. Not only do we already have all of the top digital companies based here,such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Paypal etc, but we have developed an ecosystem of nearly 700 indigenous companies around them. This is only the beginning. Ireland has theopportunity to establish itself as the digital trading hub of Europe. That will require two keyingredients – high-speed broadband and human capital.

Significant progress has already been made in the availability and quality of broadband. Sincethe Green Party entered Government, the number of broadband connections has trebled andspeeds have doubled. Major advances have also been made in achieving universalcoverage. The National Broadband Scheme established by Eamon Ryan has extendedcoverage to 99% of the country.

Our aim is to achieve ubiquity across the country so that no citizen is left behind in the onlinerevolution. We have already secured European funding to roll out a Rural BroadbandScheme, which will deliver subsidised access to the last 1% of unserved premises around thecountry. We will start rolling out this Scheme within the first months of being returned to office.

Next Generation Broadband Network is increasingly a critical piece of our enterpriseinfrastructure. While private telecommunications companies have made significant investmentin NGN rollout, it is clear that this needs to be intensified and accelerated if Ireland is toemerge as a global digital player. To achieve this, the Green Party will adapt the regulatoryregime to incentivise investment and encourage both competition and collaboration. Inaddition, we will undertake a major digitisation of government and public services. This will bedriven by the appointment of a Chief Information Officer and will see the availability of allgovernment services through the internet. This not only brings huge efficiencies and savingsfor the Exchequer but also stimulates demand for digital services, thereby enhancing the casefor NGN investment.



In addition, the Green Party will equip Ireland with the world’s first ultra-fast, laser network.Having already set up the Examplar Network Test Bed in City West, we will expand this into anational network putting Ireland at the cutting edge of connectivity. It is estimated that 5,000direct jobs and a further 5,000 indirect jobs could be established over a 5-10 year period as aresult of the Exemplar Network.

Enhancing digital skills and getting Irish businesses online is at the heart of developing adigital economy. The Digital Hub, under Eamon Ryan’s watch, has already launched itshighly successful Web Activate programme, which provides training for young unemployedpeople to assist small business to go digital. The Green Party intends to make Programmeavailable nationwide. Over the next 5 years in Government, we will provide €70 million for thetraining of some 20,000 unemployed people who will then work with 100,000 businesses tomake their products and services available online. Not only will this have a very significanteffect on unemployment but it also helps our local businesses make the transition to the newdigital era.

Ireland has shown itself to be rich in music, story-telling and the creative arts that are thelifeblood of the new digital economy. Our international reputation in gaming, animation and

education software is already established. The Green Party is fully committed to establishingthe International Content Services Centre in Dublin. Modelled on the IFSC, the centre willprovide a global hub for the trading, commodifying and storing of digital content. It isestimated that the ICSC could create up to 10,000 new jobs and establish Ireland as theDigital Island of Europe.

Just as content will be the lifeblood of the ISCS, so it is the driver behind the move to cloudcomputing and data centres. Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and data are provided to computers and other devices on-demand. Thisallows for huge efficiencies in both energy consumption and cost and is driving the next generation of digital services. It is crucial that Ireland is at the forefront on this development.The Greens in Government will ensure that all public and government services aretransferred to a cloud-based system. Not only will this allow for huge savings in servers and

devices but will revolutionise how Government does its business and delivers its services.

Data centres are one of the key components of this new cloud computing landscape. Giventhe very high energy consumption of data centres, there is a major global market emerging inthe greening of data centres. Ireland is ideally positioned to become a world leader in thisarea – we have a cool climate, a growing availability of cheap renewable energy as well as anexisting base of some of the world’s most efficient centres. The Greens in Government will leverage these advantages to establish a national green standard for data centres and attract more and more FDI into this area. Over 10,000 high-value jobs will be created.


• Expand the Exemplar Network into a national network putting Ireland at the cuttingedge of connectivity. It is estimated that 5,000 direct jobs and a further 5,000 indirect jobs could be established over a 5-10 year period as a result of the Exemplar Network.

• Work to intensify and accelerate the roll out of Next Generation Broadband Networkin order that Ireland can emerge as a global digital player. We will adapt theregulatory regime to incentivise investment and encourage both competition andcollaboration. In addition, we will undertake a major digitisation of government andpublic services.

• Establish the International Content Services Centre in Dublin. Modelled on the IFSC,the centre will provide a global hub for the trading, commodifying and storing of digitalcontent.



• Over a five year period, provide €70 million for the training of some 20,000unemployed people who will then work with 100,000 businesses to make their products and services available online.

• Establish a national green standard for data centres and attract more and more FDIinto this area.

• Work to ensure that all public and government services are transferred to a cloud-based system.

• Chief Information Officer and will see the availability of all government servicesthrough the internet.

• Establish a national green standard for data centres and attract more and more FDI into this area, with the potential to create over 10,000 high-value jobs.

A Sustainable Construction Sector

The construction industry has arguably been the sector hardest hit by the economic downturn.We will work to reposition the Irish construction industry as a world-class sustainable industryby implementing the following measures in government:

• Support the development of centres of excellence in sustainable building research, toensure that Ireland applies cutting edge building science to the design andconstruction of all new buildings and renovations.

• Provide supports for manufacturers to develop construction products from suitablewaste streams and to develop products that can be reused or recycled beyond their intended use.

• Establish a construction industry strategy to ensure that standards and practice inIreland keeps ahead of potential export markets, to give the industry an advantage inoverseas markets.

• Implement a sustainable public procurement action plan to ensure that all publiccapital works meet high sustainability standards that incrementally tighten over thecoming years.

Supporting our Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

The Green Party recognises that our SME’s are the lifeblood on which our economic recoverydepends. We must secure the ability of our small to medium sized businesses to grow andcompete on a national and international level. Key to the growth in this sector of economy area reduction in commercial rates, which we will facilitate for through the introduction of propertyand water charges.

With a number of members of our parliamentary party small business owners themselves, weknow at first hand the difficulties experienced by those trying to start up and grow their ownbusiness. In government we fought for the interests of the small and medium business owner

and ensured that there was no change to the self-employed ‘pay and file’ date.The Green Party will work to ensure that this vital economic activity can thrive in the comingyears.


• As part of the overall reform of the social welfare system, we will examine theintroduction supports for self employed persons.

• Extend the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme.• Ensure a reduction in commercial rates, made possible by the introduction of

domestic property and water charges.• Carry out a review of the effectiveness of Employment Subsidy Scheme with a view

to examining its reintroduction.



• Work with County Enterprise Boards to continue to support micro-enterprisesemploying 10 or fewer workers in the start-up and expansion phases.

• Test the legality of upwards-only rent reviews in respect of existing leases.

• Ensure that amendments are made to our Bankruptcy Laws. Our BusinessBankruptcy should be set at UK equivalent.

•

Remove basic hurdles to Green Enterprise by addressing technical, regulatory andplanning barriers that are delaying the development of renewable energy projects.• Improve information access to new ideas and funding opportunities.• Put in place the structures to ensure small scale financing is accessible to business

start-ups.• Extend the Web Activate Programme, which takes young unemployed people off the

live register and trains them to become self employed as service providers. Our ambition is to turn this into a national programme targeting some 100,000 small Irishbusinesses and training up to 20,000 participants.

• Harness the resources of our retired corps of business leaders, using their skills,experience, intellectual capital and contacts in a structured way to assist smallcompanies.

Women in Enterprise

The most frequently cited barriers to engagement with enterprise for women are work lifebalance issues - in particular family friendly work practices – and the lack of availablesupports and training developed specifically for women.

At present each County Enterprise Board has its own Women’s Programme, but we see theneed for a national network of these programmes to allow for the development of supports,training and advocacy for women in business.

The Green Party will:• Develop a National Women in Enterprise Network to bring together the expertise and

support offered by each County Enterprise Board at present.

Pensions

The Green Party believes that the overarching purpose of pension policy should be to helpolder persons to live in retirement with dignity, security and a good quality of life.

• In line with the National Pensions Framework, support the standardisation of tax relief on pension contributions. We will also ensure that pension pots are taxed at anequivalent rate to ensure equity in the tax treatment of pensions.

• Introduce an optional second tier contributory pension scheme based on contributionsfrom workers, employers and the State. We propose the removal of tax breaks from

contributions to pension schemes.• Instead, citizens would be offered equivalent tax breaks to contribute to state-backed

AVCs in addition to the normal state pension.• Give workers options at the pensionable age, where they can choose to accept a full

pension; choose to work part time and receive a part pension; or continue to work fulltime with a special tax relief.

• Cap state pensions at a rate of no more than twice the average industrial wage, or €75,000.

Citizen Rights & Innovation


• To uphold the rights of Irish citizens and to support Irish business in the IT sector, theGreen Party in government will:



• Prevent private organisations from intruding into a citizen's privacy, from summarilypunishing citizens for alleged illegal activities and from interfering with citizens'legitimate and legal uses of content.

• Continue to promote digital inclusion and literacy for all citizens.• Update the role of the Data Commissioner to ensure evolving technologies are in

check with the rights of Irish citizens.• Campaign at EU level to restrict data roaming charges which restrict the usage and

development of international digital content services.• Reject all attempts to allow software ideas to be patentable.

Banking Reform

The Irish Banking system engaged in reckless practice which has done untold damage to theeconomic interests of this country.

The Green Party demanded that a fundamental overhaul of the banking sector which resultedin new capital levels for banks covered under the Government’s guarantee scheme to ensure

that they withstand future losses. The Green Party in Government insisted on theestablishment an independent, thorough and cost-effective inquiry into the collapse of thebanking sector. Having already demanded the appointment of outside regulators, we werepleased that reports by Klaus Regling and Max Watson, and Professor Patrick Honohan gotto the heart of the collapse.

The Green Party believes that better banking is possible, necessary, and what the people of this country deserve.

We believe that there is a need for a small savers, small scale lending bank run on mutual co-operative principles. A combination of our credit unions, building societies and Post Bank,could provide a viable, alternative third banking sector this economy needs. Encouragingsmall savers and lending in small amounts would be just the stimulus for the economy. This

third sector could provide the type of small scale lending that can help meet short term needsof people, who in turn by spending more contribute in the economy more, and in so doinghelp create more jobs.

Supports for those in Mortgage Arrears

At the Green Party’s insistence, an expert group was established in February 2010 to look athow state-supported banks could help the tens of thousands of people with difficulty payingtheir mortgages. The group has reported and proposed a package of measures to help peoplewho are in arrears to cope with their payments. Measures include:

• A new Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) which will oblige all lenders toconsider alternative payment arrangements for those in arrears.

• Reform of the Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) scheme.• A new voluntary Deferred Interest Scheme be adopted by mortgage lenders.

The Green Party will ensure that these measures are implemented in full.

Stabilising our Public Finances

Since its foundation, the Green Party has been committed to the long term goal of achieving asteady state economy. A steady state economy represents a positive alternative to the pursuitof endless economic growth. It is an economy that aims to maintain a stable level of resourceconsumption and a stable population. It is an economy where energy and resource use are

reduced to levels that are within ecological limits, and where the goal of maximising economicoutput is replaced by the goal of maximising quality of life.



The onset of the economic downturn saw a huge deterioration in our public finances. Ingovernment, the Green Party played an integral role in making the tough decisions andimplementing tough measures to bring this under control, closing the gap between revenueand spending.

As part of the next government, the Green Party will introduce a number of measures which

will ensure that our public finances are never again so overly reliant on one or two revenuestreams.

Sale of State Assets

The Green Party is strongly opposed to a fire sale approach to the sale of state assets. Giventhe economic situation and the severe pressures on the public finances, full considerationmust be given to making the best use of state assets. However, a number of our semi statecompanies including Coillte, the ESB, Bord Gáis, Bord na Móna and EirGrid are pivotalcontributors to the achievement of government energy policy objectives.

Introducing Fair and Sustainable Taxes

The Green Party's approach to taxation is driven by the following principles:

• The need for a equitable, simple, efficient, and sustainable tax system• The need for a stable, reliable tax base• The need to integrate the tax and social welfare systems to reduce poverty traps• The need for a public debate on our desired level of public services and the taxes

required to maintain them• The need to maintain sounds public finances at all times.

Income Tax

Budgets 2009 to 2011 saw changes to the income tax system which were aimed atbroadening the tax base and bringing income tax revenue back to a sustainable level. Thoseon higher incomes also saw their taxes rise and the highest marginal rate now stands at 55%.The Green Party believes that the tax system as it applies to income must now be simplified.PRSI should be integrated with the USC in 2012, taking care that no particular income groupis unfairly disadvantaged or advantaged. We will ensure that the highest marginal rate of 55%will not be increased.

Water Metering

The Green Party believes that metered water charges – with a free allowance per household -will lead to better use of scarce clean water and provide funds for investment in the water

network. The Green Party propose that a central body handle the installation of meters, with apay-as-you-save system helping defray the costs of installation and large domestic piperepairs for low-income households. General management of water supply would remain in thehands of the local authorities. The Green Party opposes any move to privatise water. Wesupport holding a constitutional referendum which would commit future governments tokeeping the water network and supply in public ownership.

Site Value Tax

The Green Party has always been a proponent of a property tax, specifically in the form of aSite Value Tax (SVT) on all land excluding agricultural land, while replacing commercial rates.We will introduce a Site Value Tax on a phased basis, ensuring the protection of those who

are unable to pay.



Carbon Tax

A carbon tax was introduced by the Green Party in government in the 2010 budget. Thepolluter-pays principle demands that all sources of carbon emissions are treated equally andso the Green Party believes that the carbon tax should be set at an equal price to the

European Trading System across all fuel sources.

Cap and Share

The Green Party believes we should move to a more effective method than a carbon tax topromote the use of renewable fuels. In this respect, we will evaluate a number of schemessuch as Cap and Share.

Cap and Share works by capping the amount of carbon fuels used in the state, and reducethe cap year on year, any company wishing to trade carbon fuels will need to buy a their quota of carbon which would be added to the price of that fuel. The value of the quotas of carbon would then be shared between the population of the state in the form of a redeemablecertificate. This would mean that any person using less than their share of carbon would gain,

and those using more would pay more

Fuel Poverty

Fuel poverty is a widespread and serious problem in Ireland. The distributional impact of acarbon tax should be addressed through increases in the warmer homes scheme and homeheating allowance, funded by revenues from the carbon tax. In the long run, throughencouraging a shift to renewable energy, the revenue generated by a carbon tax will helpthose in fuel poverty as oil prices rise.

Windfall Tax on Land Speculators

The Green Party believes that a poor planning system was one important component of our property bubble. Developers should develop land, not speculate on land as became their primary function through the bubble years. As part of our response to this in government, weintroduced a new Planning Act which will prevent inappropriate zoning across the country. Wealso introduced a windfall tax of 80% on the gains accruing to individuals or companies fromdisposal of all land over 1 acre valued over 250,000 arising from rezoning decisions. This willhelp prevent land speculators profiteering from their damaging activities, while providingcommunities with a source of funding. As part of the next government the Green Party willensure that this tax is retained.

Corporation Tax

The Green Party supports the retention of our current level of corporation tax. However, webelieve that there must be greater efforts to ensure Ireland is not being used to undermine thetax raising capacity of our European neighbours, and as such we will review existing taxarrangements in relation to such issues, including transfer pricing.

Introducing Refundable Tax Credits

Tax credits operate in an inequitable manner with those earning least gaining nothing. Theexistence of welfare traps, where individuals become worse off by taking a job can bemitigated through the introduction of refundable tax credits. This operates where if anindividual has insufficient income to avail of their full tax credit entitlements, the remainingcredits are paid as a cash transfer.

Integrating the Tax and Welfare Systems



The Green Party believes that coupled with our proposal to introduce refundable tax credits,we can simplify the tax and welfare systems while dramatically reducing welfare traps andincreasing equity in our society.

The Green Party will restructure the system so that that appropriate welfare benefits areallocated as tax credits instead of cash payments, while payments from the state should be

subject to PAYE, given the recipient being in the PAYE tax net.



Better Leadership – Transforming the Political System

Introduction: A New Politics

The Green Party firmly believes that our current political and public service system has failed

the people. The depth of the crisis that the country finds itself at the moment requires reformat all levels of public life. It is simply not enough to make changes to taxes and spending andhope that a similar situation will not materialise in the future. What is needed is radical reform.

Citizen’s perception of politicians has reached an all time low in the wake of a number of expenses related scandals and the obvious long standing co-dependence of the main politicalparties and vested interests. People feel dislocated from the democratic process, believingthat there is one rule for politicians and another for the ordinary person. Failings have alsobeen seen in the upper levels of the public service, where officials in receipt of huge wagesfailed to properly undertake the roles assigned to them, or were hopelessly unqualified for them in the first place.

The Green Party is a different kind of political party – we have never accepted corporatedonations and as a result we are not beholden to big business, developers, banks and other vested interests. We want to see all political parties meet the standards that we have set. Wewant a democracy that truly represents the needs and entitlements of the population as awhole and not just a small, exclusive group.

Over the past three years we have set about implementing a comprehensive programme of political reform, preparing legislation banning corporate donations to political parties, pavingthe way for directly elected mayors in our main cities, leading the way in reducing salaries andexpenses of Ministers and TDs and instigating a major review of how local government isstructured in this country.

But we have only just begun. We want to continue in our work repairing our political andpublic service system so that they can be restored to a position of honour and respectabilityboth at home and on the world stage. Our vision for the next government sees this radicalreform programme as being absolutely crucial.

Within 6 months of entering a new government, the Green Party will guarantee a range of sweeping constitutional changes which will enable the Irish citizens to change politics andpublic life in this country. We believe the result will bring about a cheaper, more efficient andbetter equipped public service, in which the public have faith.

Opportunity to Create a New Constitution

The Constitution is the legal bedrock of the nation. Much of the criticism about the politicalsystem and public life that has been made in the last number of years has identifiedBunreacht na hÉireann as a cause of many of our problems. The Green Party believes thatone of the first actions the next Government should take is to consult with the Irish people tosee if they wish to put in place a Citizen’s Assembly which would draw up a new draftconstitution for the country. The draft constitution would then be put to referendum.

Replacing our current constitution would have huge legal, political and historical significance.That is the Green Party believes that the public should be consulted before such anundertaking is begun. Allowing the public to vote on affirming the process by which the newdraft constitution would be created would significantly enhance its legitimacy and increasepublic buy-in to the process. This would improve the chances of the subsequent draft beingratified by the public.

The Green Party believes that a Citizens Assembly is the most democratic way to achieve aconsensus on a new draft constitution. Rather than having it written behind doors as was thecase with our current Constitution, or having a body comprised of appointed politicians or



‘experts’, we believe that the public should vote for the persons they wish to see involved inthe writing of a new draft constitution. It is after all, the most important legal document in theState.

Such a process has been followed in Iceland, where the elected ‘Constitutional Assembly”convenes this year. The idea is that people from all walks of life can put themselves forward

for election. The Green Party believes that this will result in a large cross section of societybeing represented in the Assembly. A candidate will only require 2.5% of the vote to getelected, making it accessible for minority interest groups. We believe that 40 is a sufficientnumber of members to enable the constitution to be drafted. We would support a 40% gender threshold on the Citizens Assembly’s membership.

Iceland has also instated a process of ‘national gatherings’, bringing together citizens todebate ideas. We believe that such a process could be used to help shape the deliberationsof the Citizens Assembly. They could further be used to include the views of members of theIrish Diaspora and citizens living in Northern Ireland


• Within 6 months of entering Government, hold a referendum on whether to establisha Citizens Assembly, which would within 18 months, draw up a new draft constitutionfor the nation.

• The Government of the day would be constitutionally obliged to put the draftconstitution to the country in a referendum, as a proposed replacement for the currentBunreacht na hÉireann.

• The Citizens Assembly would be made up of 40 members, elected from a singlenational constituency through PRSTV, following the model recently employed inIceland. There would be a 40% gender quota.

In the event that the initial referendum on establishing a Citizens Assembly was rejected, theGreen Party in Government would then act to bring forward individual proposals for

constitutional change to address public concern about specific aspects of the Constitutionwith the first 12 months of the term. This would focus on much needed changes to our politicalinstitutions: the Dáil, the Seanad and the Presidency.

Ending Localism in the Oireachtas

One of the Green Party’s founding principles is that power should be exercised at the lowesteffective level. This means that issues that can be dealt with at a local or regional levelshould be devolved from central government to the appropriate body at a more local level. Italso means that members of our national legislature, the Dáil, should not be trying to replicatethe work of local councillors. The Green Party will reform every level of administration toachieve these aims. Reform of the Oireachtas cannot be separated from reform of local

government.

Dáil Éireann

Much of the recent talk of political reform has focused on the Seanad. We see this as adistraction from the real problem in Irish politics, a Dáil that is no longer fit for purpose. Thecurrent process of election to the Dáil means that TDs are bombarded by constituencyconcerns. The current system also acts as a disincentive to people who do not have a longtime political background from entering politics and thus is a barrier to new ideas andexpertise.

The Green Party would propose:

• Reducing the number of TDs from 166 to 120 (a cut of over 25%)



• Having 60 of these elected from single-seat constituencies via STV.

• Having 60 elected from a national top-up list system.

• The top-up system will ensure that proportional representation is maintained, withevery party polling over 2% overall being represented in proportion to their overallvote.

• Ensuring that the Dáil should sit for a fixed five year term. Any early election shouldonly come about by the failure of a Government to win a vote of confidence, and theacceptance by the President that an alternative Government could not be formed.

Seanad Éireann

Other political parties committed to abolish the Seanad and branded this as ‘political reform’.The Green Party has always argued that the Seanad requires major change, but we firmlybelieve in its important role our bi-cameral democratic system as a venue for more detaileddebate on legislation. Our proposals envisage a smaller Seanad, but one which is directlyelected. The large size of the panels we are proposing will open the possibility for moreindependent and specialist candidates to be elected. The wider third level panel will serve asimilar purpose.

The Green Party proposes:

• A cap on the number of Senators at 50 (a cut of 16%).• Ending the practice of Taoiseach’s appointments.• That 10 Senators would be elected from a panel consisting of graduates of third level

institutions across the country.• The remaining 40 would be elected from a list system, divided across 4 regional

panels based on the 4 European Election constituencies. The possibility of allowingIrish citizens in Northern Ireland and abroad voting for a number of Senators wouldalso be examined.

• Persons choosing to exercise their right to vote on the graduate panel would not be

entitled to vote on the regional panels, ensuring each person had only one vote inSeanad.• Investigate the feasibility of facilitating the election of a number of Senators by Irish

citizens in Northern Ireland and overseas.

Local and Regional Government

The Green Party will build on the work on local government reform that it has already done inGovernment. We will increase the powers and democratic accountability of regionalauthorities, to allow them to take on a range of functions currently exercised at national or local council level. Town Councils and County Councils will be replaced with a new tier of Town/District Councils, which will allow purely local decisions to be taken close to the citizen.




Implement a new regional local government structure responsible for the planning of water,waste, retail, housing and transport services.

• Councillors will be directly elected to the regional authorities, with a directly elected headwith similar powers of the directly elected Mayor of Dublin.

• Basic local government functions will be carried out by a new universal tier of

Town/District Councils.• Increase the power of the citizen to influence local decisions through the wider use of

local plebiscites and participatory budgeting.• We will ensure that in making these proposed changes to local and regional government

the overall bill for salaries and expenses will not increase.

Non-Constitutional Reform

There are a range of measures that must be taken, irrespective of whatever constitutional reformis undertaken, to restore public confidence in our democratic institutions and increase their effectiveness:

•

Oblige all TDs and Senators to produce an annual report setting out, amongst other items, how often they spoke in the Dáil, attended votes, engaged in committee work.• Provide for Dáil Éireann and Seanad Eireann to sit for 45 weeks of the year, with sittings

running from Monday afternoons to Friday lunchtimes with full days starting at 9.30amand ending no later than 7pm. Any changes to this to require a two-thirds majority of theeither house.

• The Ceann Comhairle to be given the power to oblige members of the Government togive full and adequate information to the Dáil.

• All Oireachtas Committees to have the power to compel witnesses to come before them.Committee Chairs to be allocated to all parties proportionally rather than be in the gift of the Taoiseach. Outside interest groups to be able to directly input at committee stage of relevant legislation

• Extend the Opposition parties' Private Members Time and Adjournment Debates to be

replaced with Commencement Debates chosen through lottery.• Recognition of parties in the Dáil if they have at least five members.• To allow the Opposition to play a full role in the working of the Dáil, we believe that

Oireachtas Committee Chairs should be allocated under a D'Hondt system as used inNorthern Ireland for allocating ministerial positions.

• Carpooling system to be developed for Dublin based Ministers.

Women in Politics

At the heart of an equal society is equal political participation amongst men and women. Irelandlanguishes in 82nd place in a world classification table of women’s representation in parliament.There were 23 women in the 30th Dáil, accounting for just 13.85% of seats. The figure for

Seanad Éireann is only marginally better, where approximately 20% of members are women. Atlocal level women account for 17% of members of local authorities and just 12 per cent of themembers of regional authorities. Without an adequate number of women in politics governmentdecisions may not adequately reflect the concerns and experiences of women.

A number of factors have been identified as barriers to women's full participation in politics,including childcare, family friendly working hours, candidate selection processes and theperception of Irish politics as an ‘old boys club’. An Oireachtas committee report identified the fiveCs: child care, cash, confidence, culture and candidate selection procedure. These factors arelinked. Progress in one area will lead to progress in others. An increased number of female



candidates, for example, would change the political culture within which women try and enter politics, which in turn would give potential women candidates more confidence.

While the National Women's Strategy 2007-2016 identifies the political parties as beingresponsible for efforts to increase the number of women participating in politics it is clear that thisapproach is not working. Government action is necessary.

In Government the Green Party will implement the following measures:

• As part of Dáil reform we will change the timetabling of Dáil and Seanad sitting times tostart earlier in the morning and finish in the afternoon.

• Reform the Dáil term to make it more compatible with the school term.• Provide TDs with the opportunity to take full maternity/ parental leave with a pairing

arrangement to cover that period of leave.

There is also a need for legislative reform to try and increase the number of women in politics.The Green Party will:

• Amend the system of State funding to political parties so that a proportion of such fundingis linked to a requirement for a political party to have at least 40% of its candidates at ageneral election from both genders. The legislation would include a sunset clause for theending of gender candidate quotas and would also link political funding to a requirementfor 40% of a party's candidates being from both genders at local and European elections.

Uachtaran na hÉireann/The President

Our Head of State plays an important role representing Ireland on the international stage, while atthe same time performing vital democratic duties at home. We believe that this role can be further enhanced through the implementation of a number of key reforms.


• A Citizens' Initiative of 20,000 voters to become an additional means of nominatingcandidates for the Presidency.

• Abolish the automatic right of re election, and introduce one term of five years withthe possibility of re-election for another five year term.

• Eligibility for election be broadened and made open to any EU citizen who was bornin the EU area who has maintained continuous Irish citizenship for a preceding periodof 10 years prior to that date.

• Remove the minimum age of 35 years for eligibility and replace with 18 years.

Transparency

Ending Corporate Donations to Political Parties and Candidates

The Green Party is the only political party in the Dáil that does not accept donations from privatecompanies. We want to see a definitive break between big business and politics in this country.We have seen the dire repercussions of too-close relationships between our larger politicalparties and key vested interests. We must now draw a line in the sand and ensure that theseharmful associations are eradicated from the political landscape in this country. We must alsointroduce greater transparency to the funding of politics through implementing therecommendations of the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).




• Pass legislation to ensure that only citizens can make political donations and that privatebodies including corporations and businesses would be forbidden, and underpin this witha constitutional referendum if necessary.

• Implement the GRECO recommendations on the transparency of political party funding,including requiring political parties to maintain and publish proper accounts.

•

Establish an independent Electoral Commission, building on the work already underwayin the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Reforming Appointments to State Boards

In government, the Green Party commenced a process of reforming the way in which people areappointed to State Boards. Historically, appointments to State Boards have been perceived as ahotbed of cronyism, used by the main political parties to reward friends and supporters withpositions of importance.

As part of the next government we will continue this reforming work immediately by implementingan administrative process by which Ministers and/or the Oireachtas can advertise publicly for vacancies for nominations.

• This system will commit all new board vacancies to be advertised, and the relevantMinister and Department will select nominees from these applications.

• Departments will be directed to maintain a register of the directors of state boards under their remit, and will include dates of appointment and expected retirement dates andvacancies.

At the same time, we will commence work on legislating to set this open and transparent systemon a statutory footing. This legislation will be enacted no later than six months from the formationof the next government.

• The legislation will outline a procedure for the publication of all vacancies likely to occur,invite applications from the general public and from the responses, create a panel of suitable persons for consideration of appointment.

• The legislation will also specify numbers of persons to be appointed by a Minister and willfacilitate the appropriate Oireachtas Committees to make nominations to the panel.

In order to restore the public’s faith in our political system we must ensure that we remove allremnants of the cronyism and the ‘you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours’ approach that haveshaped our democracy for decades. Elected representatives at all levels of our democracy shouldplace the importance of their official function above their personal interest.


• Develop a set of clear unequivocal sanctions for misconduct in office, including removal

from office.• Require elected members to declare their liabilities as well as their assets in their

Statutory Declaration where it applies.• Restore and extend Freedom of Information Legislation.• Introduce a Register of Lobbyists, including professional, corporate and NGO.• Introduce legislation to protect whistleblowers.

Enhanced IT Usage & Value in Central Government




• Introduce a Government CIO position in order to maximise IT capabilities – withresponsibilities covering procurement, governance, interoperability standards andlegislation. We will deploy appropriately qualified person(s) with the necessary mandateand resources in order to oversee the effective application of IT across all governmentdepartments.

• Ensure that all public procurement contracts are structured to avoid expensive ‘lock-in’scenarios in terms of both vendor product and expertise. This includes ensuring thatunnecessary preference is not given to large companies over indigenous SMEs on afalse premise of risk reduction, and also, the proper evaluation of free and open sourcesoftware technologies alongside proprietary products.

• Exploit where applicable the Cloud Computing / SaaS model based on value for money,security, access and sustainability factors amongst others.

• Provide greater access to public services via a citizen portal, services repository andlocation-centric Smartphone applications.

• Publish public data (as per the current Tim Berners-Lee initiative) to support externalactivity and innovation.



A Better Ireland – Creating a fair, safe and sustainable society

Introduction

For a time, a myth abounded that the Celtic Tiger years were good for all our citizens, bringingprosperity to all sections of society, improving the lives of all our citizens. We know that this wasnot true. In fact, during the boom years we became a more unequal nation, with the gap betweenrich and poor widening.

The Green Party will work to ensure that our economic recovery and future prosperity are built onsolid and sustainable foundations. We will prioritise fairness and sustainability at all times.

We have a vision of an Irish society where all our children are cherished and protected regardlessof their background or circumstances, where our older population is truly valued for itscontribution to society and can retire in comfort and security and where discrimination andexclusion are not tolerated. We believe that everyone can live in a safe and diverse community,with easy access to transport, schools and other quality amenities.

This is what we mean by creating a fair, safe and sustainable society, and we believe we have thevision and the experience to deliver it.

Tackling Social Exclusion

Social exclusion is defined as being unable to participate in society because of a lack of resources that are normally available to the general population. Social exclusion is a problem for both individuals and communities, with related problems such as low incomes, poor housing, highlevels of crime and problems within families.

The Green Party proposes to:

• Reinstate greater resources for the Office for Social Inclusion.• Ensure that public policies for social inclusion are integrated into the wider policy

framework.• Commission further data collection on levels and risk of poverty and the development of

indicators to measure relative and consistent poverty trends.

Reform of the Social Welfare System

The father of the modern welfare state in the UK, William Beveridge described his vision of asystem that offered security, but did not "stifle incentive, opportunity or responsibility".

As part of the next government, the Green Party proposes to radically overhaul the system tomake it a more equitable and flexible system. There are a number of simple steps that can betaken within a relatively short time frame which would allow for a greatly more accessible andflexible system, providing support to those who need it and helping those in a position to return to

work to embark on this transition with minimum complication.The most important of these steps is the integration of our social welfare and taxation systems. Akey part of this would be the introduction of refundable tax credits for people on low incomes toprotect the working poor and those experiencing financial difficulties.

As we navigate the path back to full employment, it is imperative that we support those withoutemployment to gain valuable work experience through volunteering and other related activities.


• Fully integrate the social welfare and taxation systems.



• Remove obstacles from the social welfare system for those who wish to return to casual,part time or voluntary work.

• Apply a Tobin Tax to financial transactions, targeted at financing projects of socialdividend.

• Undertake a review of all social welfare payments with a view to standardising paymentsand reducing differences that currently exist between means-tested and non means-

tested rates of entitlements. We will work towards abolishing means-testing for primarypayments such as carers allowance and unemployment assistance.• Remove punitive anomalies such as the limited right to appeal refused payment based on

failure to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition.• Introduce a tapered benefit withdrawal system for all.• Adopt a model of social support which includes an earnings related supplement based on

previous earnings, to be applied until further employment or retraining is available.• Implement a system of accreditation for job seekers undertaking work experience or

volunteering activity.• Initiate a programme of reform in the delivery of services within the Department of Social

Protection so that the dignity and rights of customers receiving the services are fullyrespected.

Safeguarding the most vulnerable in society

The erosion of Ireland’s equality infrastructure in recent times has been a matter of great concernto the Green Party. In fact, upon taking up her position as Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Deputy Mary White immediately instigated a review of funding for the Equality Authorityand the Irish Human Rights Commission. The Green Party believes that these organisations arevital components working to ensure that equality and human rights standards in this country donot slip.

The Green Party will work with future coalition partners to:

• Explore expanding the nine grounds of discrimination to include socio economic status.• Protect the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission from further

funding cuts, and explore the possibility of reinstating 2008 levels of funding to theseorganisations.• Ensure that working systems are in place for the implementation of poverty impact

assessments on all Government policy and legislation in the same way thatenvironmental impact assessments are currently carried out on all planning anddevelopment projects.

• Amend equality legislation to include a duty on public sector organisations to have dueregard to equality and human rights in carrying out their functions and to implementpositive action measures to achieve full equality in practice in employment and serviceprovision.

• Amend equality legislation to include a duty on private sector organisations to be plannedand systematic in their approach to equality.

• Provide for the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission to be

accountable to an Oireachtas Committee on Equality and Human Rights, in order tostrengthen their independence.

Children

The Green Party has long espoused the importance of investing in our children and youngpeople. We believe that Ireland should be one of the best countries in the world in which to be achild or young person.

Child Protection



The truly shocking revelations contained in the Ryan Report, coupled with the tragic stories of young people in care who have passed away and reported cases of abuse and neglect withinfamilies, serve as a stark warning that we have failed to protect the most basic rights of many of our countries young people. The Green Party believes that a constitutional change to provide for the best interests of the child to be of paramount consideration.

As part of the next government, the Green Party will:

• Hold without delay a Referendum on the Rights of the Child, placing the best interests of the child at the heart of our Constitution.

• Implement in full and without exception the recommendations of the Ryan Report.• Support a change to the Child Care Act to place a statutory obligation on the State to

provide aftercare for all children leaving state care.

• Develop a comprehensive national aftercare policy based on the belief that failure toinvest in aftercare is a false economy as the cost to the state in later the future in terms of providing homelessness and mental health services.

• Develop a national sexual health strategy.• Introduce without delay the National Vetting Bureau Bill.

Protecting the Health and Wellbeing of our Children

Obesity and its associated health complications is one of the biggest threats to our younger population today. Ireland currently has one of the highest childhood obesity levels in the world,with one in ten children in Ireland aged 5-12 years are obese and it is a leading risk factor of thedevelopment of heart disease and cancer in later life. The Green Party has long been concernedthat advertising so-called ‘junk' foods to children has a long-term detrimental effect on their health. As Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan ensured that the Broadcasting Act 2009allows for the new Broadcasting Association of Ireland to place restrictions on broadcasters interms of children's advertising. This measure goes a long way in helping to prevent the pressureon parents to buy foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar.

Consumption of alcohol and access to illegal drugs remain significant threats to the physical andmental wellbeing of our children and young people.

The Green Party, as a party to the next government, will:

• Initiate an audit of local authorities’ performance in implementing ‘Safe Routes to School’schemes. Local authorities that have not yet implemented such schemes will be given atimeframe within which to do so.

• Plan for the implementation of standardised labelling on food products with

• Further legislate to curtail alcohol advertising, sponsorship, sales promotion andmarketing, and placed health warnings on advertisements and products

• Ringfence a proportion of revenue received from alcohol sales and direct these funds intolinked policy areas, both in the area of drugs and alcohol.

• Target drug prevention programmes specifically at “at risk” groups.

Eradicating Child Poverty

It was estimated that 63,000 Irish children were living in ‘consistent’ poverty in 2008. This number is sure to have increased in the wake of the economic downturn. Children continue to be the age-group most at risk of poverty, with a rate of 18% in 2008. This compares with an at risk povertyrate of 13.5% among people of working age. The damaging effects of such disadvantage on achild’s health, chances of completing education and future opportunities are obvious.




• Replace Child Dependent Additions and Family Income Supplement with a targetedsecond tier payment, paid where children are living in lowincome households.

• Prioritise supports for children in single-parent families; nearly half of children in non-working single-parent families live in consistent poverty.

Youth Development and Diversion

The Green Party places great emphasis on the contribution our young people make to our society. We recognise the vital role played by a range of organisations in encouraging youngpeople to fulfil their potential and in giving them a voice in shaping their future.


• Explore the feasibility of allowing for unused buildings to be made available to YouthSector organisations for provision of services and amenities to young people.

• Reduce the voting age to 16.

• Broaden the parameters of the Office for Ombudsman for Children in regard to legislativematters.

Early intervention remains the most effective measure breaking the cycle of crime. Gardaí havemade great strides in community policing and diversion of young people away from crime throughthe use of Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme, the Garda Youth Diversion Projects and other community based initiatives. We want to ensure that this positive, community based approachcontinues to yield results.


• Ensure the continuation and expansion of the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme.• Ensure the continuation of the over 100 Garda Youth Diversion Projects across the

country.• Review the implementation of the Children’s Act.• Resource conferencing which brings together the child, parent(s), Gardaí, educational

and social services.

Carers

The Green Party continues to recognise and support the role of carers, who provide a vitalservice not only for their own loved ones but for our community as a whole.


• Publish the National Carers Strategy and provide a timetable for implementation.• Maintain current levels of respite care and home help care.• Introduce a National Carers Register to combat the ‘invisibility’ of our carers and also to

provide a clear basis for the assessment and planning of services to meet their needs.

Older Persons

The Green party recognises that older persons make a significant contribution to society: ascitizens, as workers (paid and unpaid), as family members and as members of the wider community.




• Publish the Positive Ageing Strategy and provide a timetable for the implementation of itsagreed recommendations.

• Continue to provide fuel allowance to those who are most at risk of fuel poverty.• Continue to support the Rural Transport Programme.• Commission research should investigate how deprivation on particular items is linked to

variations in income among older people.

• Seek reciprocity with other EU countries for free or low-cost public transportation.

Disability

In government, the Green Party prioritised the interests of people with disabilities and made acommitment to actively advance the implementation of the National Disability Strategy (NDS). Weremain fully committed to the continued roll-out of the National Disability Strategy.


• Ensure the value for money process is complete; ensure that the outcome provides for agreater level of direct service provision to disabled people from savings in administration.

• Develop mechanisms for personal budgets and introduce direct payments. Disabled

people must be enabled to have the maximum choice and control over their own service.• Ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.• Review the disability act 2005 and engage with disabled people, amending it to give more

meaningful legal protection of their rights.• Review employment support schemes for disabled people ensuring that the funding

directly adds value and support to disabled people’s opportunities to engage inemployment training programmes and the open employment market.

• Ensure the full implementation of national standards and inspection of residential centresand community homes for children and adults with disabilities.

• Give official recognition to Irish Sign Language.

Same-Sex Couples

The Green Party is extremely proud of the role it played in bringing about the recently passedCivil Partnerships Act which allows same-sex couples to avail of legally binding partnerships inthis country for the first time ever. Under the terms of the Bill, marriage-like benefits will beextended to gay and lesbian couples across a range of areas such as property, social welfare,succession, maintenance, pensions and tax. The Green Party remains committed to its statedobjective of full equality for same-sex couples with the introduction of same-sex marriage.


• In the event of the Supreme Court ruling against Zappone & Gilligan, we will seek to havethe constitution amended to permit civil same-sex marriage.

• Seek to further reform family law in Ireland to protect the welfare of children in a variety of families, including providing for the extension of legal guardianship to de facto parents.

Women and Men

The Green Party believes in equality between the sexes in the eyes of the law. We believe that noone group has monopoly on the right to fair and equal treatment.

Recognition of fathers’ rights is just one aspect of family law that the Green Party believes mustbe revised without delay. Our family law system in itself is outdated, dysfunctional and fails in the



services it was set up to provide. We will take action in government to ensure that ‘decent dads’get a fair deal and are recognised in law as equal guardians of their children.

While the gender pay gap between men and women is attributed to issues such as educationlevels, labour market experience, job and company characteristics, there remains a unexplainedgap of nearly 8%.


• Examine the possibility of introducing a system allowing fathers take up any remainingunpaid leave if their partner goes back to work early.

• Implement the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission Report on the LegalAspects of Family Relationships.

• Legislate for fathers to have automatic guardianship of their child from the birth of thechild.

• Legislate to ensure the registration of fathers’ names on the birth certificates of their child.• Improve the transparency of family court proceedings through relaxation of In Camera

rule.• Promote recognition of the problem of domestic violence experienced by female and

male spouses and partners.•

Explore the reasons for the continued unexplained gender pay gap of 8% and takemeasures to close the gap.• Continue to fully implement of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender

Based Violence.• Continue to work towards the full implementation of the National Women’s Strategy.

Childcare

Despite the economic downturn, childcare costs remain a considerable burden for many workingmothers and fathers.


• We will introduce tax incentives for extended family members who are taking care of their

grandchildren.• Maintain the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme which provides a free

year of early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age.

Integration

The Green Party is committed to building on its work on integration in Government by developing,driving and co-ordinating integration policy across Government Departments. In Government theGreen Party was responsible for the introduction of a number of initiatives including the first ever Ministerial Council on Integration, the Intercultural Fora, Intercultural Education Strategy and theDiversity Arts Strategy.


• Ensure the continuation of the initiatives as outlined above.• Protect funding for English Language classes.• Develop a learning programme and examination on Irish culture and history for those

applying for citizenship.• Further training for Gardaí, HSE and other key public sector organisations in cultural

sensitivity.• Review the third-level education tuition fee structures to ensure people with an

established immigration history are not excluded by prohibitive costs.• Encourage political participation through voting.



• Tackle racism and xenophobia be made a national priority through education andawareness-raising initiatives and monitoring of racist incidents nationally.

Travellers


• Recognise Travellers as a minority ethnic group.• Establish action plans on a statutory basis to tackle Traveller accommodation and• Ensure that Travellers have greater access to counselling and to Mental Health services

to help tackle the extremely high rate of suicide amongst young men in the community;• Carry out an audit of local authorities in relation to the delivery and implementation of

Traveller Accommodation Programmes.

Homelessness

Funding for programmes tackling homelessness has continued to be ringfenced despite greatpressure on all government spending. The budget for homeless accommodation and related

services was increased by 5% in 2009 to €62m. This funding was maintained in 2010.The Green Party will:

• Continue to prioritise funding for homelessness programmes.• Work to realise the goal of ending long term homelessness and the need to sleep rough.

• Ensure the full and timely implementation of the The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland.

• Seek to provide a dedicated funding stream for long term housing support to beadministered by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

• Seek to reduce the length of time a person must be on Rent Supplement beforebecoming eligible for the Rental Accommodation Scheme from 18 to six months.

• Provide for a reliable annual count of all people in homeless services using the ‘CountedIn’ method.

• Prioritise a review of the Youth Homelessness Strategy, published in 2001.

Excellence in Education for Future Generations

The Green Party recognises that targeted investment in education is the key our economicrecovery and continued social coherence. We have always prioritised education, and during our time in government we worked tirelessly to ensure that funding for education was protected to thegreatest extent possible.

In Government, the Green Party protected education by:

• Maintaining pupil - teacher ratios• Reversing severe education cuts in Budget 2009• Ensuring against a reintroduction of third level fees

The Green Party believes that education is vital to personal, community, societal and economicdevelopment. We will promote a flexible and transparent system aiming to value diversity, meetindividual needs, cherish the environment and fulfil the highest standards of internationalperformance.



While the Green Party acknowledges that Education funding remains an important part of anystrategy, even in these difficult economic times, we believe that there is now a growing consensusabout the importance of targeted investment in Education. As well as protecting educationalinvestment, moving to the next level requires a radical shift in how our system operates. This willrequire new ways of looking at how the system meets the needs of learners at all stages of life.More flexibility is required, as well as a rethinking in areas such as teacher training, curriculumand how schools integrate within the community.


• Work towards increasing investment in Education to meet 7% of GDP.• Reject any recommendations in the Hunt Report that would result in students incurring

penal debt. As part of the next government, the Green Party will carry out acomprehensive review of the funding of the third level system, with a view to ensuringequality and accessibility for all students.

• Review the Education Act to look at issues such as Boards of Management, patronageand enrolment. Reform school Boards of Management to be more open and transparentto parents students and staff, with student feedback. This would include a transition to asystem of management linked to local government, similar to the UK (LEA) system for Education.

• Retain existing pupil teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools.• Extend the one year free pre school to all preschool children.• Improve investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) utilising

modern broadband services and cloud computing technology to deliver greater access toall students in a more cost effective manner.

• Teacher Training at Primary Level to include more comprehensive modules on Maths,Languages and Science.

• Implement key recommendations of the report on school behaviour, School Matters,including new measures to tackle disruptive students such as specialised units.

• Review teaching training modules every three years to ensure that best practice is thenorm at every level. Ensure that Post Grad Teacher Training is not privatised byincreasing the number of Post Grad teacher training places in State Teacher TrainingColleges.

• Fast-track the full implementation of the 2004 EPSEN Act. Ensure the complete roll outon a strict timetable of the Education for Person with Special Needs Act.

• Ensure that the Department of Education and Skills develops and implements a strategicaction plan to address homophobic bullying and ensure schools and colleges provide asafe environment for LGB students.

• Develop energy efficient, multi-use school buildings as ‘community campuses’ providing arange of services that can adapt flexibly as a community develops.

• Develop and introduce a ‘healthy schools’ meals policy, building on existing pilot projects,and implement it gradually across the country.

Adult Education

Now, more than ever, we need an adult education system that can meet the needs of peopleseeking a way back to employment.


• Targeted Investment in Adult Education including measurable accredited training –leading to self sufficiency.

• Remove cap on numbers in PLCs.



• Implement key recommendations of the McIver Report on the further education sector,immediate priorities will include the establishment of a new, distinct sector of Further Education.

• Promote accredited Community Education as a model.

A Healthier Ireland – Prioritising Health in our Communities

Healthy living

Some of the most important things for the health of our bodies and of our minds are things likehow and where we live, what we eat, how much exercise we take, smoking, how much alcoholwe drink, having a job that is meaningful and living in a community where we feel safe and wherewe belong. These things are far more important than doctors and hospitals. A fair society and asafe environment are the bed rock of a healthy people. The Green Party will ensure that allGovernment departments, local councils and other state agencies will look at the health effects of all policies and projects and planning applications before they decide what to do.

Investment in health promotion has a double return, both in terms of the wellbeing of our citizens,and economically too. In simple terms, keeping healthy people well, not only makes people feelgood, it also saves the exchequer. We welcome an audit of current investment in healthpromotion. We will significantly increase the overall budgets for healthy living projects.

A single tier universal public health care system accessible to all

The Green Party believes that health care services are a human right. This means that everyone,rich or poor, young or old should have fair access to a decent public health service. Health careshould depend on what we need, not on what insurance we have, how much we earn, who we

know or where we live. To facilitate this, the Green Party will phase out all tax breaks for privatehealth care and private health insurance over a period of 5 years.

Private business (general practice or hospital) can have a useful role in providing services oncontract to the Public Health Service if they are able to do so at a high standard and lower costthan publicly owned services.

Health Care in the Community

Primary health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and sociallyacceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in thecommunity through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can affordto maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination.

Most of the health care that we need can and should be provided in our own homes or in the areawhere we live so that there is less need to travel to hospital for routine care or for emergencies.Some good work has been done in developing multi-disciplinary primary care teams that canprovide a wide range of care. This type of development needs to be expanded and pushedforward across all parts of Ireland as quickly as possible.




• Provide for free visits to GPs and other health professionals at a local level (similar to thesystem in Northern Ireland and Britain) where everyone is registered with a primary careteam and where we can get our primary health care needs attended to locally.

• Eliminate the need for tax incentives and concessions for the purchase or provision of private health care services and private health insurance and reallocate them to publichealthcare provision.

•

Ensure that the costs to the public health care delivery system arising from investigationsor treatment commenced in the private sector should be borne entirely by the privatehealth care provider.

• When services are moved from hospitals to the community the money and resourcesmust move with the services.

• Ensure that the most cost effective medications are used (including “generic drugs”)• Ensure that appropriate alternative and complementary health practices are integrated

into the health service.• Ensure that maternity services are fully integrated into the community via primary care

teams, with a much greater emphasis on midwifery led care.• Adopt a community based approach allowing us to grow old and to die with dignity in our

own communities, supporting active retirement and hospice outreach.

Hospital Care

The Green Party believe that routine hospital care should be provided as close to where peoplelive as practicable.

The Green Party supports the policy of providing very high tech hospital services from a smallnumber of regional and national hospitals because this is the best way to get the best quality andresults for patients and to lower the costs of running hospitals


• Scrap any decisions to subsidise building of private hospitals on public land.

• Make sure that the financial cost of private activity in public hospitals should be fullyrecouped from the private sector.

Mental Health

The Green Party is committed to moving away from an institutionalised mental health service andtowards a community based mental health service as laid out in the ‘A Vision for Change’document.


• Ensure a minimum of 12% of the health budget will go to mental health.• In order to realise the commitments made in ‘A Vision for Change’, we will introduce

legislation to ensure that mental health services move from institutional settings to thecommunity.• Make appropriate amendments to the Mental Health Act 2001 to address concerns

regarding involuntary committals and procedures.• Ensure that adequate support services for mental health are put in place as part of all

primary care teams.• Initiate cross departmental action on mental health, bringing together departments with

responsibility for social inclusion, disability, employment and education.



• Ensure the continuation of the HSE-National Office of Suicide Prevention LGBT MentalHealth Programme.

Sustainability of the Health Care System

At present and for some time to come it is likely that money to implement health policy will bevery constrained. To achieve maximum health in terms of quality and equity in this economicenvironment, we must ensure that we achieve a better balance between the needs of the healthcare delivery system and the need for action on broad social, environment, transport andeducational policies that have a greater impact on health in the long term.

In order to encourage acceptance of the “Social Insurance Model” of Healthcare, rather than thefree market model, the Green Party believes that the purchaser-provider system of health fundingshould be considered, as is the case in many European Countries. This will improve efficiencyand allow for freedom of choice.


• Initiate a public debate which consults all relevant stakeholders, including patients’representatives, public representatives and health professionals regarding theestablishment of a single tiered health care system.

• Support integrated planning and policy objectives within the health care system, coveringprimary, secondary and tertiary care. Integrated funding and reporting structures whichcover both the public and private health care providers should be developed.

• Carry out root and branch reform of the HSE to ensure that its decision makingprocesses are transparent and that it permits a reasonable measure of autonomy to localhealth care service delivery agencies in terms of how they achieve their targets. This willallow local communities and local representatives to have an important role in decidinglocal priorities for health and health care.

• Ensure that funding for health care reflects principles of transparency and accountability.The Green Party believes that all health care delivery systems, private and public mustbe required to present an annual report on complaints and adverse outcomes.

• Prioritise health prevention and promotion programmes by increasing their proportion of the overall health budget in an effort to encourage a healthier population and maximiseexisting resources.

Alcohol


• Seek to address the human and economic cost burden of Fetal Alcohol SpectrumDisorders (FASD) in line with International best practices.

• Ensure that all Alcohol drinks carry a label warning of the significant health risks to thedeveloping fetus of drinking in Pregnancy.

Water Flouridation

The impact of high levels of flouridation in Irish drinking water has long been of concern to theGreen Party. The potential damage to our health in the elevated levels of flourosis among our population deserves further attention.

During our recent term of Government the Green Party pursued the implementation of thecommitment in the agreed Programme for Government to carry out a national study of the total



flouride intake in the population. We believe that this commitment should be further pursued, andas part of the next Government we will ensure it is delivered.

Well planned, sustainable communities

The days of haphazard development that underpinned the complete absence of proper planningIreland are over. The Green Party is proud of the significant reforms it made to planning laws inIreland while in government. We understand the key role that weak planning played in creatingthe economic crisis. These new planning laws are designed to put the interests of our citizens firstand will ensure that the property bubble that resulted in the banking collapse can never happenagain. The new laws make community-focused, sustainable planning a legal requirement. Thelegislation, enacted in July 2010 will ensure full oversight, transparency, openness anddemocratic involvement in the planning process to avoid the rezoning disasters of the past.

In opposition we said bad planning and over-zoning was storing up major problems for the futureand that we would clean up the planning system. In Government we have done just that,principally with the Planning Act 2010, but also with a suite of new mandatory guidelines on flood

risk management, school provision, sustainable housing and wildlife protection.


• Ensure the full implementation of the fundamental reforms contained in the Planning &Development (Amendment) Act 2010 to support economic recovery address the legacy of overzoning, create walkable sustainable communities, regulate quarries and placeenvironmental protection at the heart of the planning system.

• Require that all future development is future-proofed for climate change and peak oil andis aligned with proper infrastructure provision, particularly public transport, communityfacilities, green spaces, allotments, schools and water services.

• Protect the vitality and viability of our cities and towns and protect small retailers bymaintaining the cap on retail floorspace and ensuring that new retail development is

prioritised in town centres.• Ensure thriving and economically sustainable rural communities through revitalising our

historic network of small market towns and villages and supporting rural economicdiversification.

• Further amend the Planning & Development Regulations to ensure greater transparencyin the planning process and to ensure residents are fully consulted and have an equalsay in all major planning decisions.

• Implement the strong enforcement provisions in the new legislation by requiring planningauthorities to establish designated performance driven planning and environmentalenforcement teams.

• Ensure that guidelines on flood risk management are implemented to prohibit building inflood plains.

• Implement the National Landscape Strategy to protect our cultural landscapes as a major

tourist resource.

Unfinished Housing Developments

Possibly the most visible reminder of the failed planning system which pervaded for the pastdecade is the unfinished housing estates found in cities, towns and villages across the country.Poor planning decisions, inappropriate tax incentives, combined with the impact of the economicdownturn on developers have left families and communities living in semi derelict estates that willnever be completed to appropriate standards by those who began building them.



In government, we have begun the work of addressing the problems faced by those living inthese estates. Minister of State with responsibility for Planning, Ciarán Cuffe established an newexpert task force of all the key stakeholders and oversaw a comprehensive survey of over 2,800multi-unit housing development sites in every city and county. The results of this survey provideda clear picture of the extent and scale of unfinished housing developments across the country, thetypes of issues arising, and the basis on which a clear package of actions to address and resolve

both systemic and individual issues can be developed.


• Support the ongoing work of Unfinished Housing Developments Expert Group in devisinglong-term sustainable solutions for unfinished housing developments;

• Instigate a policy that engages local people in a forum to debate what should happen tothe ghost estates in their area. The local authority, through their community officer, willfacilitate this process.

• Explore the drafting of a template agreement to be made available to land owners andcommunity groups to allow for the use of unused sites for allotments and other community projects, with the understanding that this arrangement may be for a limitedperiod.

Sustainable and Smarter Transport

The Green Party has a long held vision of a sustainable transport system for Ireland. This meansa transport system which acknowledges the threats of climate change and peak oil and usessmart and innovative solutions. We need to protect our transport system against sharp rises inenergy prices. Our dependence on the private car as a mode of transport leaves us particularlyvulnerable to any sustained rise in oil prices.

Prioritise Investment in Public, not Private, Transport

• Reorganise a capital funding programme around the Smarter Travel Policy, recognisingthat Transport 21 has been based on undeliverable economic growth projections.

• Prioritise investment in public transport over roads by a ratio of 3:1.• Work toward the introduction of a smart road pricing system and ring fence revenues for

cheaper public transport and maintenance of the road network.• Progressively enhance the role of the National Transport Authority to encompass

decision-making power over agencies such as the NRA, the RPA and CIE.

• Pilot a flat fee on local public transport with the gradual introduction of integratedticketing; for example €2 for 2 hours. Tickets will be transferable between differentmodes.

Improving our rail network

• Prioritise the construction of the DART Underground Interconnector rail line.

• Prioritise the delivery of Metro North.• Advance Phase 2 and progress planning for phase 3 of the Western Rail Corridor.• Complete all phases of the Navan Rail Project.

• Enhance the Cork Commuter Rail Network through the building of planned new stations,Park & Ride facilities.

• Re-examine the potential for passenger services through the Phoenix Park Tunnel in theshort term while the Interconnector is being planned.

• Adopt the Community Rail Partnership approach to run rural and lightly used rail lines asopposed to closing them.



• Develop a new management, planning and marketing strategy aimed at enticing new railfreight business in order to revitalise the industry and open up freight services tocompetition to provide a more reliable and efficient service.

• Introduce Real Time Passenger Information at all railway stations and halts.

Road Transport

• Rather than building new roads, resources should now be targeted at maintaining theexisting network to achieve better value for money and improve road safety. The GreenParty would therefore not advance any new road schemes as part of the nextGovernment and would instead channel funding to maintain and repair the existingnetwork, providing for safety upgrade works where necessary.

Buses

• Increase subvention to Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann to enable cheaper public transportfares through revenues from road pricing.

• Prioritise the rapid rollout of Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) to over 500 busstops in Dublin, having such information available on SMS and the Internet. We will

extend this RTPI service to bus stops in towns & cities across the country.• Continue the reform of the Dublin Bus Network, following on from the successful phases

of Network Direct.• Maintain investment in bus priority measures such as Quality Bus Corridor, to prioritise

rapid bus transport in towns and cities

Support Cycling and Walking

• Support Dublin City Council in increasing the number of bicycles within the Dublin BikesScheme and work with the relevant local authorities to introduce a similar system inGalway, Cork & Limerick.

• Introduce a 'hierarchy of care' system similar to that in Scandinavia, Germany and theNetherlands, which gives motorists a greater legal responsibility for the safety of

vulnerable road users.• Plan for and implement a new national cycle network to provide safe commuting routes

into urban centres and promote both local and long distance recreational cycling.• Engage with Local Authorities to ensure that cycle facilities such as bicycle lanes and

bicycle parking are cleaned regularly and kept free from parked vehicles.• Progress key city cycle routes such as the Sutton to Sandycove cycle track in Dublin and

an Oranmore to Barna track in Galway.• Introduce "car free zones" in cities on Sundays to encourage cycling in city centre

locations.• Introduce cycle training in schools as part of the curriculum.

• Continue to develop a National Walking Policy with provision of safe pedestrian routeslinked, where appropriate, with public transport services, at its core.

• Promote the construction and enlargement of footpaths, proper drainage, traffic calmingand the prioritizing of pedestrians at traffic lights.

Rural Transport

• Work with Iarnrod Éireann to focus more management attention on rural railway lines.Apply the Community Rail Partnership approach to the marketing of rural rail lines and tolink it with the Rural Transport Programme.

• Retain funding for the Rural Transport Scheme and work with transport providers for anintegrated rural transport network to ensure that all communities have at least a minimum



daily service, proportionate to their population and connecting where feasible with other transport modes. Coordinate existing transport resources more effectively through theNational Transport Authority.

• Encourage the clustering of residential development near existing villages

Private Vehicles• Through the motor tax system, incentivise the purchase of low emission vehicles and

promote efficient eco driving• We will work towards a smart road pricing scheme which will target reducing traffic

congestion and use the revenue raised to support public transport on a national basis.• Promote Car Share access and the expansion of Park & Ride facilities for areas still out

of reach of Public Transport in the immediate future.

Electric Vehicles

The Green Party in Government have set in motion an ambitious plan for Electric Vehicles, withachievable targets of 10% of electric Vehicles by 2020. We would maintain supports such as VRTrebates and grant aid to promote this technology.

Safer Communities

The Green Party believes that there is a direct link between social exclusion and crime. A majorityof prison inmates come from a small number of marginalised communities. A lack of skills andbarriers to accessing employment and training means that for many, repeat offending is almostinevitable. We believe that until we have truly tackled the causes of social deprivation, criminalactivity will continue to flourish.

An Garda Síochána

The Green Party believes that the prevention and detection of crime along with addressing the

needs of victims crime are of equal importance. In order to achieve this balance, we need amodern, well equipped police force.


• Ensure the provision of continued professional training and education within the force.

• Implement new discipline regulations, new promotion regulations and a whistleblowerscharter and act on the findings of Justice Morris.

• Ensure that the recommendations made by Justice Barr arising from the Abbeylaraincident are implemented in full.

• Address IT deficiencies in Garda Stations across the country.• External supervision and counselling service for Gardaí following traumatic experiences.

•

Ensure that all Garda trainees receive comprehensive training in victim’s care andvictim’s issues as part of their training.

Reform of the Prison System

The Green Party believes that the Irish penal system is in dire need of reform at the mostfundamental level. Only last November the prison chaplains, in their annual report describedconditions in many Irish prisons as “an insult to the decency of any human being”.



The recurring problems of recidivism, overcrowding and psychiatric issues need to be addressedimmediately.


• Establish a Working Group on Penal Reform to develop alternatives to custody.•

Abolish plans to relocate Mountjoy to Thornton Hall and instead review options torefurbish and extend the present building.• Remove children under the age of 18 from St Patrick’s Institution.• Legislate to place the Inspector of Prisons on a fully independent and statutory footing.• Explore the possibility of establishing an Ombudsman for Prisons.• Ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT) to ensure

national monitoring of places of detention is effective and independent.• Explore the possibility of developing an after-prison support system, with one agency

coordinating fully integrated supports for accommodation, education, employment.

Human Trafficking

Ireland needs to play a stronger role in the detection and elimination of human trafficking. The

Green Party will prioritise a number of measures to ensure that Ireland is not aThe Green Party will:

• Introduce legislation which follows the Swedish model in making it illegal for a man to buysex.

• Introduce legislation which criminalises human trafficking.• Legislate to ensure the protection of victims of trafficking.• Support awareness campaigns of human trafficking.• Explore the possibility of introducing a multi-agency centre to provide a central point for

the development of expertise and cooperation in relation to the trafficking of humanbeings similar to the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre [UKHTC].

White Collar CrimeThe perceived lack of action taken against those who were pivotal in our banking collapse hasgenerated a great deal of anger amongst the public. We must take measures to ensure that‘white collar’ or corporate crime is treated by the authorities with the same efficiency andstringency as any other type of crime. The Green Party in government will legislate to ensure thatthere can be no uncertainty when it comes to the interpretation of financial and professionalcrime.


• Set up a Cabinet subcommittee to consider all aspects of fraud and white-collar criminality.

• Explore the possibility of holding a referendum to non-jury trials involving a panel of

people with specialist knowledge to allow for the courts to deal with complicatedprosecutions in the financial sector.• Examine the introduction of a whistle-blower’s charter, similar to that in the UK, as a way

of making white-collar cases easier to successfully prosecute.

Victims of Crime



The Green Party agrees that a rebalancing of the criminal justice system to favour the victims of crime is long overdue. We will introduce a number of measures that will strengthen supports for the victims of crime and their families.


• Set down a timeline for full implementation of the Victim’s Charter.• Establish a system of monitoring and evaluation of the implementing of the Victim’s

Charter.• Review the work if the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime and conduct an

audit of the victims support services around the country in order to ensure greater coordination and cohesion between victim’s caring groups.

• Ensure widespread promotion of the National Crime Victims’ Helpline.

A Fair and Transparent Immigration System

Ireland’s immigration system has been characterised by a lack of forward planning and theimplementation of policy on a reactive and ad hoc basis. As the numbers of people seeking towork and live in Ireland dramatically decreases, the Green Party believes it is time to take stock

of the system in its current manifestation, and implement a programme of reform that will ensurethat finally, our immigration system is truly fair and transparent.

The Green Party will work to ensure the following measures are implemented:

• Issue all forms of permission to work to the employee rather than the employer.• Introduce a visibly independent appeal process for immigration decisions.• Ensure advice and assistance are provided in appropriate languages at ports of entry and

that legal aid is provided for immigration cases.• Remove restrictive legislation surrounding work permit holders so that they can be

reunited with their families after three months.• Underpin the right to work in Ireland with the principle of ‘permanence’ and introduce

legislation entitling any person legally resident in Ireland for three years or more to apply

for permanent residency.• Take appropriate action to ensure that children seeking asylum are taken out of the adult

application process as called for by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.• Reverse recent policy changes that force the dispersal of ‘aged-out’ minors.• Ensure that leave to remain is granted to ‘aged-out’ minors without delay.• Ensure that timely, accurate information about immigration rules and policies be made

easily accessible to migrants and a commitment given to provide appropriate lead-intimes to changes in rules, policies and fees affecting migrants.

• End expulsions to countries that have a proven track record of human rights abuses.

An End to Direct Provision

The system of Direct Provision requires those seeking asylum or leave to remain to live in thestate assigned accommodation centres. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work or study and aredependent on the allowance of €19.10 per week for adults and €9.60 for children. The GreenParty believes that this system must be reviewed as a matter of urgency with a view to replacingit with a more humane system. In government we will prioritise this work.

International Affairs

United Nations



Since the 1990’s there have been calls for reform of the United Nations. In particular thepermanent membership structure of the UN Security Council reflects the power structure of theworld as it was in 1945. The Green Party in government will work to progress

There are a number of international treaties and conventions that Ireland has yet to ratify. Failureto do so seriously damages our credibility on the international stage as a country that respects

and protects the human rights of all people.As part of the next government the Green Party will work with coalition partners to ratify thefollowing conventions and protocols without further delay:

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.• Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment.• International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.• Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and

Members of Their Families.

EU Membership

The period of Treaty changes is at an end. Any attempts to further amend EU treaties would be adistraction from addressing issues such as economic development, climate change and socialequality which must be the main priorities of the Union.

However, the development of a common European identity is an essential element in achievingcross-European consensus on these key issues. The Green Party believes steps should be takento develop an active concept of EU citizenship. For example, the Green Party believes that aportion of the European Parliament should be elected from a pan-EU single constituency.

The economic crisis has shown that countries must act in a coordinated fashion regardingfinancial regulation. A well regulated financial sector is an essential element in a sustainableeconomy, and this must occur primarily at an EU level.

• Support the expansion of the EU provided that applicant states meet the required

democratic and human rights standards.• Ensure that work continues to bring in Ireland into compliance with EU Directives,

especially in the areas of social and environmental legislation.

• Press for the EU's competition, state aid and public procurement policies to be adapted toinclude social and ecological factors.

Commitment to ODA

Ireland has had a strong international reputation in overseas development and international aid.Government, Irish NGOs and the Irish public together have made a very important contribution inthese areas. The Green Party is dedicated to ensuring that we retain this good reputation byreaffirming our commitment to deliver 0.7% of GNP and advocating for delivery of the UNMillennium Development Goals.


• Reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to deliver on all eight UN Millennium Development Goalsby 2015. We advocate for a financial transaction tax to fund the Millennium DevelopmentGoals.

• Ensure that Ireland will deliver on the commitment that our overseas development aidshould reach 0.7% of GNP and will publish a plan of year-by-year increases to achievethis.



• Seek that aid, as well as addressing basic human needs, should assist in developingdemocratic structures.

• Include aid measures to combat the effects of climate change, which are will hitdeveloping countries hardest.

• Continue to support Fair Trade goods, including in Government purchasing policy.

NeutralityThe Green Party has always advocated a positive approach to neutrality. We will continue toargue that Ireland’s best interests, along with those of all smaller states, lie in strengthening thetruly pan-European Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as well as theUnited Nations rather than in supporting NATO-led initiatives such as the so-called Partnership for Peace.


• Ensure that Irish troops only take part in peace missions that have a United Nationsmandate or an OSCE mandate

Northern Ireland

The Green Party reaffirms its support for the work and instruments of the Good FridayAgreement.

Nuclear Disarmament

The Green Party is supports all efforts to widen the Nuclear non proliferation treaty and is againstnuclear weapons in all their forms.

Burma

The Green Party welcomed the release of Burmese pro-democracy campaigner Aung San SuuKyi in November of 2010. However, we cannot allow this good news to blind us to the greatinjustices still being done by an illegal military regime in that country. The Green Party ingovernment will, through the UN, the EU and other international fora, work to keep up pressurefor change in Burma.

Israel and PalestineThe Green Party has consistently supported an independent state for the Palestinian peoplealongside the state of Israel. The so-called security wall built by the Israeli government must beremoved and Palestinian groups must recognise the right of the State of Israel to exist if they wishto be included in the peace process. The Green Party supports those who advocate a two statesolution.

China and Tibet

China continues to largely ignore pressure to improve its human rights record and end itsoccupation of Tibet. The persecution of opponents of the government and members of the FalunDafa / Falun Gong movement, and the continued exploitation and enforced assimilation of Tibetmust be opposed and raised at every opportunity with the Chinese authorities.

Maintaining a vibrant artistic and cultural life

The Green Party has long been a strong advocate for the arts, and we successfully fought toensure the viability of the arts in Ireland during our time in Government. In successive budgets,the Green Party protected arts funding from further cuts. We also secured the future of the IrishFilm Board when it was at threat of being scrapped.

The Green Party recognises the immense contribution made by all sectors within the artistic andcultural community in the visual arts, theatre, film, dance, music, literature, architecture and



collaborative arts. Creative activity and cultural development should be valued for their ownintrinsic worth and the enjoyment that they engender. However, it is also vital to recognise thevital role that arts and culture will play in our economic recovery.

We believe that all people living in this country should have access to the means to be creative inan artistic sphere. There should be access to all forms of the arts, regardless of age, gender,social circumstances or race. We also believe that the arts should be an intrinsic part of theschool curriculum so that children grow up assuming the arts to be a natural part of their lives.

The Green Party will continue to support the artistic community through the following measures:

• Ensure the continued representation for the Arts and Culture at Cabinet.• Maintain current levels of funding to the statutory agencies for the arts, including Irish

Film Board, Culture Ireland and the Arts Council.• Legislate to expand the definition of the arts as currently laid out in the Arts Act.

• Through the Department of Educations and Skills, ensure that contemporary arteducation is introduced at primary and secondary level to grow artists and audiences for the future.

• In recognition of the vital role the film industry plays in bringing investment into thiscountry, we will ensure the continuance of the Section 481 tax breaks for the industry.

• Ensure that Local Authorities allocate sufficient funding to allow the fulfilment of long-termstrategic culture and arts plans.

• Recognising the role that technology and innovation will play in the future of our artisticand cultural life, we will seek to form joint ventures between our enterprise and tourismbodies and our artistic and cultural organisations.

• In order to incentivise audiences and improve access to arts events, we will initiate ascheme give a subsidised money-off vouchers. Each individual in the state with a PRSInumber will be issued with a €5 voucher which can be used as part payment for any ArtsCouncil certified event.

The Irish Language

The Irish language is an important cultural resource for the people of Ireland, but it is a vulnerableand damaged resource which needs to be protected. We fully support the 20 Year Strategy for Irish which we assisted in developing during our time in government.


• Establish an Irish Language Unit in the Department of the Taoiseach in order to ensurethat the Official Languages Act is implemented in every part of government.

• Ensure that government departments do not use translators who do not have the officialseal of Foras na Gaeilge.

• Oversee a comprehensive review of the teaching and learning of Irish at primary andpost-primary level both in the Republic and in Northern Ireland.



Protecting the Environment for Future Generations

Introduction

As caretakers of the Earth, we have the responsibility to pass it on in a fit and healthy state. Thisis one of the founding principles of the Green Party. Other political parties will try to steal our clothes, they pay lip service to environmental issues and tackling climate change, but there isonly Green Party has advocated for environmental protection for over 25 years.

In a time of economic difficulty, climate change - and its multitudinous implications for the future of our global community – can too easily be dismissed as a ‘side issue’. The Green Party knows thatClimate Change remains one of the greatest threats to the future of the planet and its inhabitants.As part of the next government, we will work to keep environmental concerns top of the politicalagenda.

In government, the Green Party has implemented a significant body of policy and legislation inthe areas of climate change and environmental protection including:

• Publication of the Climate Change Bill 2010• Introduction of a Carbon Tax• Integration of Carbon Budgeting into the Annual Budgetary Process•

Initiation of a Public Consultation Process on Waste Management Policy• Passing into law of the Planning and Development Act 2010• Introduction of crucial changes to the Motor Tax and VRT systems• Introduction of the Noise Bill 2010 to tackle nuisance noise pollution

Sustainability

The Green Party approaches all of its considerations with the following set of sustainabilityprinciples for Ireland in mind.

• Develop and prioritise renewable energy and low carbon lifestyles to meet Irish energyneeds and meet carbon emission targets.

• Promote and incentivise food security and effective water management.• Support and create Irish goods, services and systems that utilise sustainable design

principles.• Protect bio-diversity and stop encroaching on natural ecological systems.• Sustainability must be integrated into society and all levels of the education system.• Promote the whole-systems approach. Sustainability initiatives involving energy,

transport, food, waste, economy and the environment should be addressed as part of anoverall systems approach rather than being addressed as separate unrelated issues.

• Local and national resilience planning. In light of the flooding, the freeze, and theeconomic downturn we urgently need national and local community resilience planning.



Aarhus Convention

The Aarhus Convention allows for the public right to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice on environmental matters. The Green Party is committed toIreland’s ratification of the Aarhus Convention.

Climate Change

Climate Change is a challenge like no other with profound implications for the planet and itsinhabitants. It is an issue that not only threatens the natural environment we depend on, but alsoraises serious concerns regarding the potential impact on economic activity and the social fabricof society. We know that climate change is caused by human induced emissions of greenhousegases. We know that the solution is to reduce these emissions quickly enough to avoid the worstimpacts of climate change. We all have an interest in succeeding in this and we all have aresponsibility to play our part.

Climate Change Response Bill 2010

In December, the Green Party published the Climate Change Response Bill 2010.

The Bill sets out a robust statutory basis to strengthen the national response to climate change.Key provisions include ambitious but realistic national greenhouse gas emission reduction targetsfor 2020, 2030 and 2050; a new national planning process encompassing both mitigation andadaptation; a new annual process on reporting to the Oireachtas; and a new Expert AdvisoryBody to advise Government on policy and implementation.

The objective of this piece of legislation is to reinforce Government policy on positioning Irelandas a responsible country on climate change, with a progressive policy response focussed ontransition to a low-carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable future. Transitionaims to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities that climate change presents for Ireland and to significantly reduce our over-dependence on imported sources of fossil fuel energy.

As part of the next government, the Green Party will prioritise the passage of this vitalpiece of legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Taking Ireland Beyond Oil

The Green Party has warned for quite some time now that we are close to reaching peak oil.Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached,after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. The Green Party believes that the onsetof peak oil represents an opportunity for Ireland to utilise the bountiful natural resources availableto us to become an Oil Free Economy.

In this respect we look to the Sweden’s goal, announced in 2006, that it will become an Oil FreeEconomy by 2020.

With our unique geographical, climatic and human-capital advantages, this move will send a veryclear signal to the global investment and business community that the direction of public policy inIreland is unambiguous and that Ireland is a prime location for long-term investment opportunities

As part of the next government, the Green Party will roll out a strategy to set Ireland on theroad to being an Oil Free Economy by 2030.

World Leader in Renewable Energy

The Green Party has been responsible for a doubling in the amount of wind energy on thenational grid since 2007. The targets we set in relation to renewable for 2010 have already been



surpassed, with over 15% of electricity from renewable sources, making us second in Europe for wind power. We have also ensured that Ireland is on course to exceed our targets for 2020.

The Green Party believes that we can do more than reach our renewable energy targets – wecan surpass them. Above and beyond our current target of 33% by 2020, we believe it is feasibleto generate 42% of our electricity from renewable sources by that date. This will be one of the

highest levels of renewable electricity in the world.

Waste

The Green Party has set out a vision for a sustainable national waste policy that minimises rawmaterial and energy use and maximises economic benefit. The Green Party believes that thisapproach to waste will also maximise opportunities for enterprise in reuse, remanufacturing andreprocessing. Waste policy must prioritise protecting public health and minimise the impact on theenvironment.

The Green Party has embarked upon transforming the waste market by placing the emphasis onrecycling and reduction.

Waste Levies

As Minister for the Environment, Deputy John Gormley commenced a process to introduce newlevies for landfill and incineration which will increase the existing levy on landfill and introduce anew one for incinerators. As part of the next government, the Green Party will ensure that theselevies are introduced without delay.

The Green Party believes that Mechanical Biological Treatment can offer a much moreenvironmentally friendly method of residual waste treatment than mass burn incineration, and willcontinue to advocate for the former technology as a means of responsible waste disposal.

Domestic Waste Collection

As a party to the next government, the Green Party continue to transform Ireland’s waste systemby implementing the following minimum standards for domestic waste collection:

• A collection of paper and card for recycling at least fortnightly.• Collection of textiles for recycling at least monthly.• Collection of food waste at least weekly.• Collection of steel and aluminium cans at least fortnightly.• A collection of plastic bottles at least fortnightly.• A collection of glass containers at least fortnightly.• Bring banks with a density of at least 1 per 600 inhabitants.

Water

Decades of neglect and overuse were highlighted during the severe weather at the start and endof 2010, when widespread water shortages illustrated the need for a more efficient system.

As Minister for the Environment, John Gormley introduced the Water Services InvestmentProgramme for 2010-2012 which provides for crucial investment in our water infrastructure over the next three years. This programme will yield many benefits, including, improving andsustaining public health; protecting the environment and supporting economic development. Itincludes several hundred in-progress and planned water conservation projects with a value of nearly €3bn. 4,000 jobs will be supported through infrastructure repair and upgrade. €93m wasalso allocated to rural water schemes.




• Ensure the complete roll out of metering nationwide, with every household given a freebasic allowance of water as per the renewed programme for government. Establish anombudsman, or other independent authority, to decide on disputes to do with water meters and water charging, or assign this responsibility to an existing relevant authority.

• Provide low income households with assistance to deal with the introducing of water charging, and provide support for the installation of water efficient appliances in lowincome households.

• Make rainwater harvesting mandatory in all new developments.• Focus on meeting our water needs now and in the future by reducing demand and getting

the most from existing infrastructure before undertaking major new engineering projects,which have big environmental and economic costs.

• Review and reform national structures of water governance.• Focus on maintaining and improving drinking water quality through the protection of

important river catchments.• Protect aquatic sites with the highest conservation and biodiversity value.

BuildingSince 2007, the Green Party has worked tirelessly to ‘green’ Ireland’s housing stock, to make our homes more energy efficient, and therefore cheaper to run.

We introduced new building regulations which saw a 40 per cent improvement in energyefficiency and a 40 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions for new homes in 2008.


• Introduce a Zero Carbon Standard for new homes by 2013 and for all other new buildingsby 2016.

• 100,000 homes per annum to get sustainability upgrade (energy efficiency, ventilationand water conservation, etc).

• Development of urban district heating networks.• Low energy lighting & fittings regulations for all buildings• All buildings of 250m2 or more used by the public to display their actual energy

performance.• Apply eco building techniques to all socially and environmentally driven schemes, as part

of government stimulus to sustainable economic sector.

Animal Welfare

The Green Party is the only political party that takes a stand on animal welfare and biodiversity.We have achieved significant progress in strengthening the protection and welfare of animals inIreland. In three years in Government the Greens: have banned stag hunting; outlawed puppyfarms; substantially improved conditions in dog kennels; and have drafted a comprehensiveanimal health and welfare bill.

Animal welfare is of great concern to the Green Party and we will continue to build on our significant work to date as part of the next government by undertaking the following measures:

• Pass into law the Animal Health and Welfare Bill, which outlaws fur farming and theculling of badgers.

• Examine the possibilities of alternatives to live animal exports from Ireland.



• Make it a requirement for all retail outlets to label animal derived material such as fur and/or leather, regardless of the percentage of fur and/or leather in the items.

• Prohibit the trade in animal fur products.• Implement legislation to end the importation of and trade in, members of exotic species.• Introduce legislation to ban hare coursing.• Make the hunting of animals with hounds an offence under law.

• End the use of exotic animals in circuses in the long term. In the short term issue aMinisterial Directive to all Local Authorities prohibiting them from providing land tocircuses that use exotic animals in their acts.

GM and Food

The Green Party will pursue the introduction of a voluntary GM-free logo, which will takeadvantage of our predominantly grass fed beef and diary cattle, and build on the ‘Brand Ireland’strategy to differentiate and add value to our produce.


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Establish a GM-Free regulatory authority to ensure that rigorous testing is put in place toverify that animal feed is free of GM inputs.• Veto any EU proposed legislation that would allow a certain threshold for GM

contamination in conventional seeds before the seeds had to be labelled as containingGM traces.

Afforestation

Forestry has a vital role to play in the fight against climate change. Apart from their obvious role incarbon sequestration, forests act as reserves of biodiversity, they provide protection to soil andpeople from extreme weather events, they provide a sustainable fuel source and opportunities for recreation.


• Set a minimum of 10,000 ha of afforestation per year but aim at achieving 15,000 ha per annum, until 2035 with 30% mixed broadleaves (4,500 ha) of broadleaves. 15,000 ha per annum would result in 490 direct jobs per annum.

• Ensure that native woodland establishment is targeted at enlarging existing nativewoodlands and creating links between native woodlands to encourage biodiversity andconnectivity. Areas within areas like SACs, SPAs and NHAs where appropriate. Alsoconsider establishment of native woodland to come under the Dept. for the Environment.

• Seek to develop policy that all new afforested sites where appropriate should besubjected to ecological assessment. However survey costs must be balanced so as tonot prohibit planting. Presently it is only a requirement for the native woodland scheme.

• Promote that 15% of new forest to be devoted to biodiversity where appropriate.• Ensure that public consultation reviews of afforestation with Local Authorities, Heritage

Offices and County Archaeologists requires the disclosure of maps of intendedafforestation to the public.

• Advocate new forests to be planted with a view to be managed using Close to Nature-Continuous Cover permanent forestry siviculture systems, rather than clear-felling,including on clear-felled ground, where appropriate.

• Work to encourage and promote greater integration of small scale forestry into farmingsystems.



• Promote the retention of hedgerows and enhancement with appropriate species andgreater width. Roadside planting (hedges) should only be native species designed toenhance biodiversity and landscape.

Marine


• Seek to promote a fundamental change of the policy away from industrial fishing andback to small scale sustainable inshore fishing.

• Promote the research and development of technologies that will eliminate raw sewageand other pollutants entering the sea.

• Explore the feasibility of creating a fully protected national marine reserve to encompasshalf the nation’s marine waters. A pilot project over a sufficiently long period of time egminimum of ten years in selected areas might be a good start in working towards this.

• Ensure regulation and implementation of EU Directives on the protection of Freshwater and Marine Environments are balanced with the needs of local communities.

• Support the development of a sustainable and environmentally responsible aquacultureindustry.

Documents

Green Party 2011 General Election Manifesto Unabridged Version