There is a
Better Way
Tá bealach
níos fearr ann
www.sinnfein.ie

Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011
Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Introduction	
Réamhrá	
Executive Summary	
ACHOIMRE FEIDHMIÚCHÁIN	

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Part 1 – Economic Recovery	
»»Fixing the Economy	
»»Jobs Creation and Retention	
»»Wages and Incomes Protected	
»»A Fair Taxation System	

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Part 2 – Public Services 	

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»»The Health System Transformed	
»»Education and Children – The Best Start for Our Children	
»»The Wrongs of the Celtic Tiger Put Right	
»»The Rural Way of Life Protected and Developed	
»»Local Communities Made Safe	

Part 3 – Towards a New Republic	

»»Political Reform – An End to Cronyism, Corruption and Privilege	
»»Building an Ireland of Equals	
»»An Ghaeilge agus na Gaeltachtaí	
»»Uniting Ireland	

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Introduction
There is a Better Way
their rhetoric, Labour and Fine Gael have
both said that they intend to implement the
policies produced by the Government.

Ireland is at a crossroads. This election will
be one of the most important ever held.
Fianna Fáil and the Greens have ruined the
economy.

Four years ago, these parties were also
saying the same thing – cut taxes, increase
spending and give more power to the EU.

440,000 citizens are unemployed; 100,000
more people will emigrate over the next
two years. Families are at risk of losing
their homes. Our elderly and disabled,
low-income and middle-income families,
our urban and rural communities and small
businesses, have all been badly hurt by
the bad decisions of this incompetent
Government.

Four years ago, Sinn Féin said the
fundamentals were not sound and that the
Government was throwing away billions
instead of investing in the future.
We proposed introducing a fair tax system,
using available public finance to create a
world-class health and education system,
immediate measures to deal with a growing
crisis in property and banking, the ending
of cronyism and double standards. We said
use the boom to build a society that we can
really be proud of.

Our sovereignty has been handed over to
the IMF and EU and the banking debt has
become the personal debt of every man,
woman and child in the State. This is wrong.
There is a better way to reduce the deficit
and put our economy back on track
without cutting the heart out of society and
destroying our education, health and social
services.

Today we are the only party to have
produced costed, alternative economic
proposals that have been endorsed by
independent economists. Sinn Féin’s
commitment is to:-

If we are to fix this our society we need to
put honesty and fairness into politics. We
need people in the Dáil who are there to
represent the best interests of citizens, not
the banks or themselves. We need people
who put job creation and quality public
services first – who will make sure the
ordinary person and the most vulnerable
in society are protected. All that is still
possible, even in these difficult times. But it
means political choices.

a)	 Invest in a major job-creation programme
to get Ireland back to work;
b)	 Reverse the savage cuts and prioritise
frontline services;
c)	 Burn the bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank
and wind it up;
d)	 Reduce the deficit by taxing the
wealthiest and eliminating wasteful
spending.
e)	 Root and branch political reform aimed
at producing a genuinely open and
accountable form of Government which
ends the notion of political elites and
empowers Irish citizens

Fianna Fáil’s and the Greens’ savage
Budget targeted working families and those
on low and middle incomes. And, despite

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»»It was the decision of Sinn Féin’s

f)	 An end to the two-tier health and

Pearse Doherty to go to the courts to
vindicate the rights of the people of
Donegal South-West which forced the
Government to hold the long-overdue
by-election.
It was Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó
Caoláin TD who exposed Taoiseach
Brian Cowen’s contacts with leading
people in Anglo Irish Bank.
It was Sinn Féin which opposed
the Lisbon Treaty, pointing out the
dangers for our sovereignty.

education systems;
g)	 The proper use of Ireland’s natural
resources for the common good;
h)	 Continued support for the Peace Process
and the Good Friday Agreement

»»

Over the last year Sinn Féin has confronted
the Government and demanded higher
standards. For us, actions speak louder
than words.

»»

»»Sinn Féin was the only party not

to sign up to the Fianna Fáil/Green
Party/Fine Gael/Labour ‘Consensus
for Cuts’ and instead put forward
a real alternative for economic
recovery.
It was Sinn Féin which first called on
Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue
to resign, saying his position was
untenable after the revelations about
his lavish expenses. Only then did the
other Opposition parties speak out.
It was Limerick City Sinn Féin
Councillor Maurice Quinlivan who
confronted the slíbhín politics of
Minister Willie O’Dea.

Sinn Féin is an Irish republican party. We
are a United Ireland party. We believe in the
sovereignty, independence and freedom
of the Irish people and the right of our
people to build our own society. Sinn Féin is
committed to delivering for citizens.

»»

Sinn Féin offers more than just hope in this
election – Sinn Féin offers a real alternative.

»»

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Réamhrá
Tá Bealach Níos Fearr
agus ar na daoine siúd ar ísealioncam nó
meánioncam. Agus, beag beann ar a reitric,
dúirt Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus Fine Gael go
bhfuil sé ar intinn acu na polasaithe a tháirg
an rialtas a chur i bhfeidhm.

Tá Éire ag crosbhóthar. Beidh an toghchán
seo ar cheann de na toghcháin is tábhachtaí
riamh. Scrios Fianna Fáil agus an Comhaontas
Glas an geilleagar. Tá 450,000 saoránach
dífhostaithe, rachaidh 100,000 duine eile ar
eisimirce thar an dá bhliain atá le teacht. Tá
baol go gcaillfidh teaghlaigh a gcuid tithe.
De dheasca na ndroch-chinntí a rinne an
Rialtas neamhinniúil seo, rinneadh a lán
dochair dár ndaoine scothaosta agus dár
ndaoine faoi mhíchumas, dár dteaghlaigh
ísealioncaim agus meánioncaim, dár bpobail
uirbeacha agus tuaithe agus dár ngnóthais
bheaga. Tugadh ár gceannas don CAI agus
don AE, agus rinneadh fiachas pearsanta
gach fir, mná agus linbh sa Stát d’fhiachas
na baincéireachta. Tá sé seo mícheart. Tá
bealach níos fearr chun ár n-easnamh a
laghdú agus chun ár ngeilleagar a chur ar ais
ar an mbealach ceart gan an croí a bhaint as
ár sochaí agus gan ár seirbhísí oideachais,
sláinte agus sóisialta a scriosadh.

Ceithre bliana ó shin, bhí na páirtithe seo ag
rá an ruda chéanna – laghdaigh cánacha,
méadaigh caiteachas agus tabhair níos mó
cumhachta don AE.
Ceithre bliana ó shin, dúirt Sinn Féin nach
raibh na bunúsaigh iontaofa agus go raibh an
Rialtas ag caitheamh billiún uaidh, in ionad a
bheith ag infheistiú don todhchaí.
Mhol muid tabhairt isteach an chórais
chánach atá cothrom, úsáid an airgeadais
phoiblí atá le fáil chun córas sláinte agus
oideachais den scoth a chruthú, bearta
láithreacha chun déileáil leis an ngéarchor atá
ag fás sa réadmhaoin agus sa bhaincéireacht,
deireadh le cairdeas fabhair agus le
caighdeáin dhúbailte. Dúirt muid go n-úsáidfí
an borradh chun sochaí a bhféadfadh muid
bheith an-bhródúil aisti a thógáil.

Má tá muid chun ár sochaí a dheisiú, ní
mór dúinn macántacht agus cothroime a
thabhairt sa pholaitíocht. Tá daoine ag teastáil
uainn atá sa Dáil chun seasamh do leas na
saoránach, in ionad leas na mbanc agus in
ionad a leasa féin. Tá daoine ag teastáil uainn
a chuireann cruthú post agus ardchaighdeán
seirbhísí poiblí thar gach rud eile – daoine a
chinnteoidh go bhfuil an gnáthdhuine agus
na daoine is soghonta i sochaí faoi chosaint.
Tá an méid seo fós indéanta, fiú amháin sna
hamanna deacra seo. Ach seasann sé do
roghanna polaitiúla.

Inniu, is sinne an t-aon pháirtí a táirgeadh
tograí costáilte malartacha eacnamaíochta
atá formhuinithe ag roinnt eacnamaithe
neamhspleácha ar fud na hÉireann. Is é
tiomantas Shinn Féin ná: :-

a)	 Infheistiú in ollchlár um chruthú post chun
Éire a chur ar ais ag obair;
b)	 Na gearrthacha danartha a fhreaschur
agus seirbhísí túslíne a chur in ord
tosaíochta;
c)	 Na sealbhóirí bannaí i mBanc AnglaÉireannach a dhó agus é a fhoirceannadh;

Dhírigh Buiséad danartha Fhianna Fáil agus
an Chomhaontais Ghlais ar theaghlaigh oibre

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»»Is é Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD ó

d)	 An t-easnamh a laghdú trí cháin a

Shinn Féin a nochtaigh teagmhálacha
Brian Cowen, an Taoiseach, leis
na príomhdhaoine i mBanc AnglaÉireannach.
Is é Sinn Féin a chuir in aghaidh
Chonradh Liospóin, agus é ag
sainaithint na gcontúirtí i leith ár
gceannais

ghearradh ar na daoine is saibhre agus trí
chaiteachas diomailteach a dhíchur.
e)	 Leasú polaitíochta a dhéanamh agus
a fhorbairt chun foirm Rialtais atá
cuntasach agus fíoroscailte a chruthú,
rud a chuirfidh deireadh le nóisean de
scothaicmí polaitiúla agus a thabharfaidh
cumhacht do shaoránaigh na hÉireann
f)	 Deireadh a chur leis na córais dhá-chiseal
sláinte agus oideachais;
g)	 Úsáid cheart acmhainní nádúrtha na
hÉireann don leas coiteann;
h)	 Tacaíocht leanúnach do Phróiseas na
Síochána, agus do Chomhaontú Aoine an
Chéasta.

»»

Is páirtí poblachtach Éireannach é Sinn
Féin. Is páirtí Éire Aontaithe sinn. Creideann
muid i gceannas, neamhspleáchas agus
saoirse mhuintir na hÉireann agus i gceart
ár muintire maidir lenár sochaí féin a thógáil.
Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta dona bheith ag
seachadadh do shaoránaigh.

Thar an bhliain seo a chuaigh thart, thug
Sinn Féin aghaidh ar an Rialtas agus d’éiligh
sé caighdeáin níos airde. Dúinn féin, is
tábhachtaí bearta ná focail.

Tairgeann Sinn Féin níos mó ná dóchas
amháin sa toghchán seo – tairgeann Sinn
Féin fíormhalairt.

»»Is é Sinn Féin an t-aon pháirtí nár

aontaigh le ‘Comhdhearcadh um
Ghearrthacha’ Fhianna Fáil/ an
Chomhaontais Ghlais/ Fhine Gael/
Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre agus, ina ionad
sin, chuir sé ar aghaidh fíormhalairt le
haghaidh téarnamh geilleagrach.
Is é Sinn Féin a d’iarr ar Cheann
Comhairle John O’Donaghue éirí as
ar dtús, agus é ag rá go raibh a ról
dochosanta mar gheall ar an scéala
ar a chostais fhlúirseacha. Labhair
páirtithe eile Freasúra amach ina
dhiaidh sin.
Is é Maurice Quinlivan, Comhairleoir
Chathair Luimnigh ó Shinn Féin,
a thug aghaidh ar an bpolaitíocht
slíbhín de chuid Aire Willie O’Dea.
Ba é cinneadh de chuid Pearse
Doherty ó Shinn Féin ar dhul chuig na
cúirteanna chun cearta mhuintir Dhún
na nGall Thiar-Theas a chosaint,
rud a chuir iallach ar an Rialtas
fothoghchán a bhí fada thar téarma a
thionól.

»»

»»
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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Executive Summary
Part 1 – Economic Recovery

7)	 Establishing within the stimulus

programme a €600million Jobs Retention
Fund. This fund would subsidise
workers in struggling Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) with the potential to
save 96,000 jobs, akin to the successful
model used in Germany.
8)	 The introduction of a 1% Wealth Tax. This
would be an income-linked Wealth Tax
for high-earners levied on their assets
over €1million in value, excluding working
farmland.
9)	 The introduction of a third tax rate of
48% on individual income in excess of
three times the average industrial wage
(€100,000) per annum.
10)	Standardising all discretionary taxation
expenditures (tax reliefs paid at either
the standard or marginal rate depending
on income) with a view to ultimately
eradicating tax reliefs that do not return a
value for society.
11)	 Restoring the minimum wage at €8.65 an
hour.
12)	Removing the income levy/Universal
Social Charge from low-earners in the
‘no-tax’ bracket and keep minimum wage
earners out of the tax bracket.
13)	Immediately returning social welfare
payments to 2010 levels, and as soon as
economic conditions permit raise them
further to ensure adequate incomes (no
one below the poverty line).

1)	 A new Budget as soon as possible
2)	

3)	

4)	
5)	

6)	

following the election.
Close the deficit over 6 years, not 4. We
would envisage a €3billion adjustment
for the remainder of 2011 (€4.7billion in
a full year), leaving us with a deficit of
€15.7billion in 2012.
Restructuring the bank debts, including
burning the bank bondholders in those
banks which are insolvent, including
Anglo Irish Bank. This will ensure tax
raised is spent on Irish public services
– not servicing or paying off the debt
incurred for bailing out the banks.
Initiate a responsible wind-down of
NAMA.
A €7billion job-creation programme
spread over 3.5 years with the aim of
saving and creating more than 160,000
jobs funded by a once-off transfer from
the National Pension Reserve Fund
and which we would use for a stimulus
instead of transferring its reserves into
the banks.
A labour-intensive essential infrastructure
programme as part of the €7billion jobstimulus programme. The focus of this
programme would be to build hospitals,
schools, public transport networks and
to roll out broadband State-wide.

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Part 2 – The People’s Services

8)	 The responsible wind-down of NAMA.
9)	 Examine models for mortgage debt

forgiveness for those on low and average
incomes who are in negative equity and
who are in arrears.
10)	Completing the stalled regeneration
projects.
11)	 A secure future for rural post offices.
Transform the rural postal network to
make rural post offices a ‘one stop shop’
for a range of services including postal
services, banking services, council
services and citizens’ information.
12)	Ensuring those with the lowest farm
incomes benefit proportionally more
from the single farm payment (SFP) and
abolish the SFP for large businesses not
directly involved in farming. Cap Single
Farm Payments at €100,000.
13)	Establishing a Rural Enterprise Fund
to support new micro enterprises and
co-ops being set up in rural areas,
particularly in the agri-food sector.
14)	 Boosting Garda numbers by ending
current recruitment, promotion and
overtime embargoes. A far-reaching
process of civilianisation to free-up fully
trained Gardaí from administrative and
other duties to fight crime is essential
and must be expedited.
15)	Raise Garda visibility and activity in areas
and at times needed by reassigning
Gardai from desk duties to the beat.

1)	 A new universal public health system for

2)	

3)	
4)	
5)	

6)	
7)	

Ireland that provides care to all free at
the point of delivery, on the basis of need
alone, and funded from general fair and
progressive taxation.
Reversing the current health cuts.
Fund health in the context of reformed
taxation and a progressive economic
strategy. Roll out the promised Primary
Care Centres throughout the State on an
accelerated timetable. No more cuts to
services at local hospitals and restore
those services already cut.
Fewer bureaucrats, more frontline health
workers.
An end to public subsidies for private
healthcare. Invest all health funding in the
public system.
A return to free education. End the
system where schools are reliant on
voluntary contributions from parents by
raising the capitation grants to cover the
real cost of running a school. Abolish the
charge for the Leaving Cert and Junior
Cert and for the mocks. Establish a booklending scheme across all primary and
secondary schools.
The creation of 500 new teaching posts
and the reduction of class sizes to 20
pupils per teacher.
Opposing the reintroduction of third-level
fees through any guise and reform the
grants system to take into account the
real costs of going to college.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Part 3 – Towards a New Republic

10)	Reviewing the current Disability Act with

a view to the introduction of a new rightsbased Disability Act alongside robust
enforcement mechanisms and establish
a Disability Ombudsman and a National
Disability Strategy within the Department
of the Taoiseach to set annual targets
towards full delivery by 2016.
11)	 Publish a National Carers’ Strategy to
secure an adequate income, employment
and social opportunities, health and wellbeing supports for all family carers.
12)	Implementation of a comprehensive
strategy to roll back the erosion of the
primacy of Irish in Gaeltacht areas and to
create new Gaeltacht areas, particularly
in urban centres, across the island.
13)	Industrial centres of excellence under
the auspices of Údarás na Gaeltachta in
Gaeltacht regions to foster employment
for local communities.
14)	 A referendum on Irish unity.
15)	The integration of public services and
infrastructure on an all-Ireland basis,
enabling people to access services such
as health and education nearest to them,
regardless of which side of the border
they are on.
16)	Co-ordinating economic planning on an
all-Ireland basis. Harmonise taxation
policy and regulation across the island.
17)	Ensuring that the unionist community
is included at the centre of the debate
about the kind of Ireland we want and
their place within a united Ireland.

1)	 A new Constitution. Establishing an

2)	

3)	

4)	
5)	
6)	

7)	

8)	

9)	

all-Ireland Constitutional Forum drawn
from representatives of both legislatures
on this island, civic society, business
and trade unions to discuss and bring
forward a Draft Constitution that would
be put to the people in a referendum.
Increasing voter participation by holding
elections at weekends, reducing the
voting age to 16 and automatically
register voters as soon as they become
eligible to vote using PPS numbers to
avoid fraud.
Reforming how the Dáil is elected. Elect
one-third of the Dáil from a list system;
the other two-thirds from six-seat
constituencies based on PRSTV.
Abolishing the Seanad in its current form.
Capping ministerial salaries at €100,000;
TDs’ salaries at €75,000.
Northern representation in the Dáil –
The existing 18 Westminster MPs to
automatically be accorded membership
of the Oireachtas. Voting rights in
Presidential elections to be extended to
citizens in the Six Counties.
Changing the law to allow for the
impeachment or removal from the Dáil
any TD involved in corruption, deliberate
misuse of public money or fraud.
Building an Ireland of Equals where
everyone’s rights are guaranteed,
free of divisions caused by partition,
sectarianism, racism and other forms of
discrimination, and free from poverty and
economic inequality.
Publishing the National Positive Ageing
Strategy following consultation and
direct participation of older people
themselves, establish a proactive
Ombudsman for Older People, prioritise
the protection of vulnerable older people
including through the introduction of
modern mental capacity legislation.

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

Key documents produced by Sinn Féin

»»There is a Better Way – Sinn Féin
Economic Plan for Recovery 2011
»»Job-creation documents: Getting

Ireland Back to Work; No job? No
future? No way!; Let’s Get Dublin
Working
Future of Farming and Fishing in the
West (endorsed by Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Agriculture)
Agri-food report with
recommendation on expanding
employment in the agri-food sector
(endorsed by the Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Enterprise, Trade and
Innovation)
Awakening the West – Overcoming
Social and Economic Inequality
(endorsed by Joint Oireachtas
Committee on Community, Rural and
Gaeltacht Affairs)
Workers’ Rights for an Ireland of
Equals
Injecting Urgency: Sinn Féin Priorities
for the National Drugs Strategy
Policing with the Community
Towards a New Republic - A United
Ireland

»»
»»

»»
»»
»»
»»
»»

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

ACHOIMRE FEIDHMIÚCHÁIN
bhFiontair Bheaga agus Mheánmhéide
(FBManna), trína bhféadfaí 96,000 post
a shábháil, cosúil leis an múnla rathúil a
úsáidtear sa Ghearmáin.
Tabhairt
isteach Cánach Rachmais de
8)	
1%. Bheadh sí seo ina Cánach Rachmais
ioncam-cheangailte do shaothraithe arda
a ghearrfadh cáin ar a sócmhainní thar
luach de €1 mhilliún, seachas talamh
feirme oibrithe
9)	 Tabhairt isteach tríú ráta cánach de 48%
ar ioncam aonair os cionn trí huaire an
mheánphá tionsclaíochta (€100,000) in
aghaidh na bliana.
10)	Caighdeánú gach caiteachais chánachais
discréide (faoisimh chánach a íoctar
ag an ráta caighdeánach nó ag an ráta
imeallach, ag brath ar ioncam) d’fhonn
deireadh a chur le faoisimh chánach
nach seasann do luach don tsochaí sa
deireadh thiar.
11)	 Tabharfar an pá íosta ar ais ag €8.65 in
aghaidh na huaire.
12)	Bainfear an tobhach ioncaim/an Muirear
Uilíoch Sóisialta ón lucht ísealioncaim
sa réim ‘gan cháin’, agus coinneofar
saothraithe pá íosta as an réim chánach.
13)	Cuirfear íocaíochtaí leasa shóisialaigh
díreach ar ais go leibhéil na bliana 2010
agus, chomh luath agus a cheadaíonn
coinníollacha geilleagracha é, ardófar
iad arís chun ioncaim leordhóthanacha
(duine ar bith faoin líne bhochtaineachta)
a chinntiú.

Cuid 1 – Téarnamh Geilleagrach
1)	 Buiséad nua a luaithe is féidir tar éis an
2)	

3)	

4)	
5)	

6)	

7)	

toghcháin.
Dúnfar an t-easnamh thar 6 bliana, ní thar
4 bliana. Thuarfadh muid coigeartú de
€3 bhilliún thar an gcuid eile den bhliain
2011 (€4.7 bhilliún i mbliain iomlán), rud a
d’fhágfadh easnamh de €15.7 bhilliún sa
bhliain 2012.
Athstruchtúrófar na fiachais bhainc, agus
dófar na sealbhóirí bannaí sna bainc
siúd atá dócmhainneach, lena n-áirítear
Banc Angla-Éireannach. Cinnteoidh sé
seo go gcaitear an cháin a bhailítear
ar sheirbhísí poiblí Éireannacha – ní
ar sheirbhísiú ná íoc an fhiachais a
tabhaíodh trí na bainc a tharrtháil.
Tosófar foirceannadh freagrach an GNBS.
Clár €7 mbilliún um chruthú post atá
scaipthe thar 3.5 bliana a bhfuil sé mar
aidhm leis níos mó ná 160,000 post a
shábháil agus a chruthú, cistithe ag
aistriú aonuaire ón gCúlchiste Náisiúnta
Pinsean, rud a d’úsáidfeadh muid le
haghaidh spreagtha in ionad a bheith ag
aistriú a chúlchistí chuig na bainc.
Clár dlúthfhostaíochta um bonneagar
riachtanach mar chuid de chlár
spreagtha post €7 mbilliún. Bheadh
fócas an chláir seo dírithe ar ospidéil,
scoileanna, agus líonraí iompair phoiblí a
thógáil agus ar leathanbhanda a rolladh
amach ar fud an Stáit.
Bunófar Ciste €600 milliún um Choinneáil
Post laistigh den chlár spreagtha.
D’fhóirdheonódh an ciste seo oibrithe i

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

Cuid 2 – Seirbhísí an Phobail

meánioncam atá i gcothromas diúltach
agus atá i riaráiste.
Tionscadail
athghiniúna nach bhfuil ar
10)	
siúl a chur i gcrích.
11)	 Todhchaí cinnte d’oifigí poist tuaithe.
Tiontófar gréasán poist na tuaithe chun
‘ionad ilfhreastail’ a dhéanamh d’oifigí
poist na tuaithe ar son réimse seirbhísí,
lena n-áirítear seirbhísí poist, seirbhísí
baincéireachta, seirbhísí comhairle agus
eolas do shaoránaigh.
12)	Cinnteofar go mbaineann na daoine
a bhfuil na hioncaim feirmeoireachta
is ísle acu tairbhe níos comhréirí as
an Íocaíocht Feirme Aonair (ÍFA) agus
cuirfear cosc ar an ÍFA do ghnóthais
mhóra nach bhfuil baint dhíreach acu le
feirmeoireacht. Caidhpeálfar Íocaíochtaí
Feirme Aonair ag €100,000.
13)	Bunófar Ciste Fiontraíochta Tuaithe chun
tacaíocht a thabhairt d’fhiontair bheaga
agus do chomharchumainn a chuirtear
ar bun i gceantair tuaithe, go háirithe in
earnáil an agraibhia.
14)	 Méadófar líon na nGardaí trí dheireadh
a chur leis an lánchosc ar earcaíocht
reatha, ar ardú céime agus ar ragobair.
Is gá go n-úsáidtear próiseas leathan
sibhialaithe chun ligean do Ghardaí
lánoilte dualgais riaracháin agus eile a
fhágáil le dul i ngleic le coiriúlacht.
15)	Ardófar gníomhaíocht agus
sofheictheacht na nGardaí i limistéir agus
ag amanna riachtanacha trí Ghardaí a
bhogadh ó dhualgais ag an deasc go dtí
na sráideanna.

1)	 Córas sláinte nua poiblí uilíoch d’Éirinn

2)	

3)	
4)	

5)	

6)	
7)	

8)	
9)	

a sholáthraíonn cúram do gach duine
atá saor ag an bpointe seachadta, ar
bhonn riachtanais amháin, agus atá
maoinithe ag cánachas cothrom forásach
ginearálta.
Freaschuirfear na gearrthacha sláinte
reatha. Cisteofar sláinte i gcomhthéacs
an chánachais leasaithe agus straitéis
fhorásach gheilleagrach. Rollfar amach
na hIonaid um Chúram Príomhúil atá
geallta ar fud an Stáit ar chlár ama
luathaithe. Ní bheidh aon ghearrthacha
eile ag ospidéil áitiúla agus tabharfar ar
ais na seirbhísí siúd a gearradh cheana
féin.
Níos lú maorlathach, níos mó oibrithe
túslíne sláinte.
Cuirfear deireadh le fordheontais phoiblí
do chúram sláinte príobháideach.
Infheisteofar gach cistiú sláinte sa chóras
poiblí.
Filleadh ar shaoroideachas. Cuirfear
deireadh leis an gcóras ina mbraitheann
scoileanna ar ranníocaíochtaí deonacha
ó thuismitheoirí trí na deontais chaipitiúla
a ardú chun fíorchostas ar reáchtáil na
scoile a ghlanadh. Cuirfear deireadh
leis an gcostas ar an Ardteistiméireacht
agus ar an Teastas Sóisearach agus
ar na bréagscrúduithe. Cuirfear scéim
um iasacht leabhar ar bun trasna gach
bunscoile agus meánscoile.
Cruthú 500 post nua teagaisc agus
laghdú na méideanna ranga go 20 dalta
in aghaidh an mhúinteora.
Cuirfear i gcoinne ath-thabhairt isteach
na dtáillí tríú leibhéal in aon fhoirm agus
leasófar an córas deontais le go gcuirfear
na fíorchostais ar dhul chun coláiste san
áireamh.
Foirceannadh freagrach an GNBS.
Iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar mhodhanna
maithimh um fhiachas morgáiste ar
son daoine atá ar ioncam íseal nó ar

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Cuid 3 – I dTreo Poblacht Nua

Ombudsman réamhghníomhach do
Sheandaoine, tosaíochta a thabhairt do
chosaint seandaoine atá leochaileach
trí chur isteach reachtaíochta nuaaimseartha um inniúlacht meabhrach,
mar shampla.
10)	Déanfar athbhreithniú ar an Acht
um Míchumas d’fhonn acht nua um
míchumas cearta-bhunaithe a chur
isteach, chomh maith le meicníochtaí
feidhmiúcháin atá daingean, agus
Ombudsman do Dhaoine faoi Mhíchumas
agus Straitéis Náisiúnta Míchumais
laistigh de Roinn an Taoisigh chun
spriocanna bliantúla a leagan amach le
haghaidh seachadta faoin mbliain 2016.
11)	 Foilsiú Straitéise um Chúramóirí
Náisiúnta le hioncam cuí, deiseanna
fostaíochta agus sochaí, tacaíochtaí
sláinte agus folláine do chúramóirí
teaghlaigh go léir a chinntiú.
12)	Cur i bhfeidhm straitéise cuimsithí chun
creimeadh phríomhaíocht na Gaeilge i
gceantair Ghaeltachta a thiontú agus
chun ceantair Ghaeltachta úra a chruthú
ar fud an oileáin, go háirithe sna ceantair
uirbeacha.
13)	Ionaid Thionsclaíocha Barr Feabhais faoi
choimirce Údarás na Gaeltachta i réigiúin
Ghaeltachta chun fostaíocht a chruthú do
phobail áitiúla.
14)	 Reifreann ar aontacht na hÉireann
15)	Comhtháthú seirbhísí poiblí agus
bonneagair ar bhonn uile-Éireann,
ag cur ar chumas na ndaoine teacht
ar sheirbhísí atá cóngarach dóibh,
lena n-áirítear seirbhísí sláinte agus
oideachais, beag beann ar an taobh den
teorainn ar a bhfuil siad suite.
16)	Comhordú pleanála geilleagraí ar bhonn
uile-Éireann. Comhchuibheofar polasaí
cánach agus rialúchán ar fud an oileáin.
17)	Cinnteofar go bhfuil rannpháirtíocht
an phobail aontachtaigh i lár na
díospóireachta ar an gcineál tíre ba
mhaith linn agus ar a n-áit laistigh
d’Éirinn aontaithe.

1)	 Bunreacht nua. Bunófar Fóram

2)	

3)	

4)	
5)	
6)	

7)	

8)	

9)	

Bunreachtúil Uile-Éireann a dhéantar
as ionadaithe den dá reachtas ar an
oileán seo, as sochaí shibhialta, as
ceardchumainn agus as cumainn ghnó
chun Dréacht-Bhunreacht a phlé agus a
chur ar fáil.
Méadófar rannpháirtíocht na vótálaithe
trí thoghcháin a eagrú don deireadh
seachtaine, tríd an íosaois vótála a
laghdú go 16 bliain d’aois, agus trí
vótálaithe a chlárú go huathoibríoch
chomh luath is atá siad i dteideal vótála,
ag úsáid uimhreacha an PSP chun
calaois a sheachaint.
Leasófar an dóigh a dtoghtar an
Dáil. Toghfar trian den Dáil ó chóras
liosta; agus toghfar an dá thrian eile ó
dháilcheantair sé shuíochán, bunaithe ar
an IC-AI.
Díothófar an Seanad mar atá sé faoi
láthair.
Caidhpeálfar tuarastail airí ag €100,000;
agus caidhpeálfar tuarastail na TDanna
ag €75,000.
Ionadaíocht ón Tuaisceart sa Dáil tabharfar ballraíocht uathoibríoch
den Oireachtas do 18 AP de chuid
Westminster. Leathnófar cearta vótála i
dtoghcháin Uachtaráin do shaoránaigh
sna Sé Chontae.
Athrófar an dlí chun táinseamh nó baint
den Dáil aon TD a bhfuil baint aige le
héillitheacht, le mí-úsáid d’aon ghnó
d’airgead poiblí agus le calaois a cheadú.
Cruthófar Éire ina bhfuil gach duine
cothrom agus ina bhfuil cearta na
saoránach á ráthú, saor ó dheighiltí
a bhí cruthaithe ag críochdheighilt,
saor ó chiníochas, ó sheicteachas
agus ó shamplaí leithcheala eile, ó
bhochtaineacht agus ó éagothroime
gheilleagrach.
Foilsiú Straitéise Náisiúnta um Aosú
Dearfach tar éis comhchomhairliúcháin
le daoine atá sean agus tar éis
a rannpháirtíochta dírí, bunófar

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

PART 1
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Fixing the Economy

Fianna Fáil/Green
Party Legacy

Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have
brought the country close to economic
ruin. They have introduced five successive
Budgets, as well as emergency measures
in February 2009, and everything they have
done has made the situation worse. Their
approach of slash and burn and bailing
out the banks has completely failed. The
sacrificing of our economic sovereignty
to the IMF/EU and the handing over of
control of decision-making to them will be
disastrous for the economy and society in
general.

»»2011 will be the fourth consecutive
year of declining employment
»»By the end of 2011, 300,000 jobs

will have been lost since 2007 –
there are now 440,000 on the Live
Register
35% of those on the Live Register
are there for more than one year
100,000 more people will emigrate
over the next two years
Retail sales (excluding car sales)
remain in decline
The domestic economy, which
accounts for 80% of the economy,
continues to contract – the only
growth is in exports and most of
those exports come from large
multinational companies, not
home-grown Irish businesses.
The Government have based their
fiscal plans on 1.75% growth in the
economy which cannot and will
not be achieved under their plans

»»
»»
»»
»»

»»

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

Sinn Féin’s Plan for
Economic Recovery

The Government’s economic policy is
focused soley on deficit reduction and
bailing out the banks. They have left the
State without a plan for growth. No plan for
growth means no credible plan for deficit
reduction.

Sinn Féin has put forward an alternative
plan for economic recovery which has been
endorsed by a number of independent
economists.

The banks continue to receive our money in
the bail-out but have not reinvested it in the
State. This money is being put into zombie
banks here so that the leading banks of
Europe can avoid the consequences of
their own reckless lending decisions. The
money is heading straight back out of the
country, leaving only increased debts for
Irish taxpayers.

Our plan is based on job creation, taxation
justice, an end to wasteful expenditure, a
sensible deficit reduction timetable, the
separation of sovereign debt from bank debt
and a realistic approach to addressing the
banking crisis.

It is the banking debt that is plunging us
into this debt, not the State’s exchequer
finances. Fully nationalise AIB and Bank
of Ireland. Introduce a Banking Resolution
Bill which protects depositors. Don’t
rescue the remaining banks. Introduce a
stimulus package. Overhaul the taxation
system. Eliminate wasteful spending. By
taking these steps we will become a good
investment for the bond markets.

Reducing the Deficit and Funding
the State
The Exchequer deficit is €18.7billion and
Sinn Féin aims to close this deficit over a
six-year period.
Sinn Féin would introduce a new Budget as
soon as possible following the election and
begin implementing our proposals.

High bond rates and credit rating
downgrades show that Ireland is
being punished for trying to service an
unsustainable debt and by taking on more in
the form of the EU/IMF loan.

Sinn Féin would introduce a major jobs
stimulus package and close the deficit
over 6 years, not 4. We would envisage a
€3billion adjustment for the remainder of
2011 (€4.7billion in a full year), leaving us
with a deficit of €15.7billion in 2012.
Over the following years, a combination
of the new tax measures (and overhauling
the system to shut down tax evasion and
avoidance loopholes and get rid of tax
reliefs), continued savings and the return
from a stimulus package (including a
growing economy in the private sector),
would begin to close the deficit.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

For the remainder of 2011, resources from
the National Pension Reserve Fund (NPRF)
and the Exchequer Fund in the Central Bank
should be used to run the State. These two
bodies hold €30.56billion (€14.9billion in
the NPRF and €15.7billion in the Exchequer
Fund in the Central Bank) between them.
That gives us until the end of 2011 to bring
about a banking resolution.

Sorting out the
Banking Crisis

The impact of the banking crisis on the
public finances has been nothing short
of catastrophic. Our domestic public
finances can be fixed but we need to
start with a change to how we deal with
the banking crisis. The Government
needs to:-

Returning to the Bond Markets
Sinn Féin proposes returning to the
international bond markets in 2012 at the
latest with a banking resolution package in
place, a growing economy and a declining
deficit. By doing this we would restore
confidence in the Irish economy with the
international bond markets.

1)	 Separate sovereign debt from private

bank debt;
2)	 Abolish the bank guarantee – apply a
market solution to a market problem;
3)	 Burn the bondholders or allow them to
negotiate debt for equity swaps in the
smaller banks;
4)	 Burn Anglo Irish Bank and Irish
Nationwide bondholders;
5)	 Introduce a bank resolution plan that
protects depositors and, at the same
time, taxpayers;
6)	 Complete the nationalisation of AIB
and Bank of Ireland and convert the
two into a merged state bank;

The reason the bond yields increased
was because of an over-exposure to bank
debt and Ireland’s commitment to paying
back bondholders. This increased interest
rates. We need to separate bank debt from
sovereign debt. A quick bank resolution
plan, coupled with a radical shift in where
Irish funds are diverted, would see bond
rates move back to a reasonable rate.

7)	 The responsible wind-down of
NAMA.

Our debt/GDP ratio if we take the banks
off the national balance sheet would be
75%. The corresponding figures for other
European countries are: Greece 126%,
Italy 116%, Portugal 76%, France 78% and
Germany 73%.1

1 http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2010/12/15/separate-bank-from-state-debt-or-elseface-econocide

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011



k)	 Over the next four years – 2013 to 2016

Sinn Féin is committed to:

inclusive – our stimulus package returns
a total of €15billion (as set out in our
pre-Budget submission appendices) in
revenue returns, social welfare savings
and economy growth. Year after year our
new taxation measures would increase
the tax-take further and we would seek
additional spending savings where
achievable in a fair and efficient manner.

a)	 Introduce a new Budget immediately after

the election;
b)	 No further drawing down of the IMF/EU
loan;
c)	 Separate sovereign debt from private
bank debt;
d)	 Sori out the banking crisis by burning the
bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank and Irish
Nationwide, abolishing the guarantee,
introducing a bank resolution plan that
protects depositors, and completing the
nationalisation of Bank of Ireland and AIB;
e)	 Reverse savage cuts imposed in the
Fianna Fáil/Green Party December 2010
Budget which unfairly targeted those
on low and middle incomes and were
extremely deflationary;
f)	 €7billion for a 3.5-year employment/
infrastructure provision stimulus package
to to get Ireland back to work – €2billion
of this to be used for employment
stimulus in 2011;
g)	 A €595million financial stimulus initiative
from current spending;
h)	 Reduce the deficit over six years
beginning with a €3billion reduction
for the remainder of 2011 through a
combination of the new tax measures
(and more overhauls such as shutting
down tax evasion and avoidance
loopholes and getting rid of tax reliefs),
continued savings and the return from a
stimulus package (including increased
tax revenues from growth in the private
sector);
i)	 In 2012 our proposals would see a total
deficit reduction of €4.2billion and we
would go into 2013 with a deficit of
€11.5billion;
j)	 Return to the markets in 2012 at the latest
– If we take the banks off the State’s
balance sheet, the debt/GDP ratio of
Ireland falls below that of Belgium, which
raised money in December at 1.8%;

Job Creation and
Job Retention
Jobs can be created. The solutions exist.
Creating jobs has to be at the core of any
economic recovery plan.
By December 2010, over 440,000 people
were unemployed. Many people are
struggling to survive on decreasing dole and
social welfare payments while increasing
numbers are emigrating. Reminiscent of
the 1950s and 1980s, a whole generation of
young people sees no future in the country
and they are leaving. The ESRI has warned
that up to 60,000 will leave by the end of
this year and a further 40,000 next year if
employment levels do not improve.
Our job creation proposals are based on
providing immediate and direct employment
in key sectors such as infrastructure –
building schools, health facilities, improving
secondary roads and public transport,
and rolling out broadband – creating
employment, particularly for those affected
by the construction sector crash.
Sinn Féin will also focus on creating new
jobs across the agri-food, tourism and
IT/pharma sectors, and Research and
Development as well as with initiatives
that will ensure Ireland becomes a world
leader in green energy. This will improve

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

the State’s competitiveness in addition to
providing us with world-class infrastructure
to attract Foreign Direct Investment and
support indigenous enterprise for longerterm employment creation. This sustainable
long-term employment would broaden and
secure the tax base.



is on the Live Register.
Boost
employment in the tourism
g)	
sector by developing tourist attractions,
including cultural tourism attractions,
amenities for those interested in
adventure sport and attractions for
children and young people. Implement
steps to make Ireland the top destination
for those who want a clean, green tourist
destination in Europe. Target emerging
and different/niche markets.
h)	 Grow the agri-food sector by
implementing the proposals in the
report produced by Sinn Féin TD Arthur
Morgan for the Oireachtas Committee
on Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
These proposals include funding and
support central production hubs for SMEs
involved in the agri-food sector.
i)	 Employ apprentices on public projects.
Make the employment of a set amount of
apprentices a condition on which public
contracts are awarded to contractors
building public infrastructure to help
address the crisis in non-completed
apprenticeships due to the construction
sector collapse.
j)	 Create a new generation of
entrepreneurs. Do this by changing the
PRSI system to create a safety net for
those who attempt to establish their
own business, launching a National
Entrepreneurship Programme with
incubation centres around the country
and doubling the target for supporting
High Potential Start-Ups (HPSUs) from
200 to 400 per year.
k)	 Break up local authority and public sector
construction, service and procurement
contracts to create a level pitch for small
businesses to tender.
l)	 A ‘Sales Ireland’ strategy to help Irish
ﬁrms increase exports to markets
outside the US and Britain. Assist Irish
ﬁrms looking to set up manufacturing
businesses with the potential to compete
with our largest imports, including
through the provision of R&D funding.

Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 A €7billion job-creation programme

spread over 3.5 years with the aim of
saving and creating more than 160,000
jobs. This will be funded by a onceoff transfer from the National Pension
Reserve Fund, which we would use for
a stimulus instead of transferring its
reserves into the banks.
b)	 A labour-intensive essential infrastructure
programme as part of the €7billion jobstimulus programme. The focus of this
programme would be to build hospitals,
schools, water infrastructure, public
transport networks and to roll out
broadband State-wide.
c)	 Establish within the stimulus programme
a €600million Jobs Retention Fund.
This fund would subsidise workers in
struggling Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs) with the potential to save 96,000
jobs, akin to the successful model used in
Germany.
d)	 Create employment through the
construction and delivery of childcare
services. There is a significant deficit
which, if unaddressed, will be an
impediment to economic recovery.
e)	 A new generation of co-operatives.
Provide start-up funding and other
support co-operatives as a viable
choice for start-up businesses and
the conversion to co-operatives as an
alternative to closure for struggling
businesses.
f)	 Jobs created for the under-25s. A Youth
Jobs Fund to create 20,000 new jobs
and an individual plan for the long-term
prospects of every person under 25 who

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

m)	A publicly-owned national green

Even in times of severe economic difficulties
the Government must ensure that everyone
has a decent standard of income, whether
that is through wages earned in employment
or through social protection payments.

technology firm for Ireland that would
manage and use the island’s energy
resources. To be established within 12
months, it would be an energy provider
and funder gathering expertise and
resources to make Ireland energy
independent by 2020. Cost: approximately
€100million.
n)	 Increase and enhancing CE schemes,
making the schemes more relevant for
the needs of society, economy and the
community.
o)	 Initiate a ‘Front Line Services Aides
Scheme’ where young people are
employed to take on specific work from
overworked front-line workers (e.g.
civilianising administrative work that is
currently done by Gardaí).
p)	 Enhance Government-backed ‘Buy Irish’
campaign and ‘Shop Local’ campaigns.
q)	 To reduce the pressure on retailers, end
upward-only rent reviews for business
premises.
r)	 A radical overhaul of FÁS to ensure that
the courses and assistance which it
provides are relevant to the needs of job
seekers and the economy, including being
orientated towards growth sectors in the
economy.

Reducing poverty has to be a core aim of
Government. This will require enhanced
education and employment opportunities
and improved income supports. Countries
which are successful in reducing poverty
have comprehensive welfare systems, high
payment rates and high employment rates.
As soon as economic conditions permit
new, longer-term benchmarks against which
the evolution of social welfare rates can be
measured should to be set.
In addition, reducing payments to the
incomes of those who spend everything
takes money out of the local and national
economies and is deflationary which in
turn leads to more job losses. Cuts in
expenditure and tax increases need to be
centred on the areas where they have the
most positive impact on the economy.
Sinn Féin is committed to stopping any
downward pressure for the working and
middle classes on wages and reducing the
major costs facing households, including
the amount that those on low and average
incomes pay on mortgage repayments and
rent.

Wages and Incomes
Protected

We will strengthen workers’ rights
protection to prevent wages being driven
down. We will reduce the social welfare
bill by creating jobs rather than by cutting
payments. Pushing people into poverty will
not lift us out of recession.

People across Ireland are struggling to
pay bills, meet rising mortgage costs and
survive on incomes which have drastically
fallen due to unemployment and pay cuts.
Social welfare rates have been cut. ESB and
gas prices are rising. The minimum wage
has been cut and this will have knock-on
consequences on other low-paid workers.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Restore the minimum wage at €8.65

an hour. Sinn Féin has proposed other
measures that can be applied to help
viable businesses legitimately struggling

20

Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

to keep people employed, such as our
Jobs Retention Fund.
b)	 Oppose attempts by employers to
unilaterally opt-out of agreed wage rates.
c)	 Remove the income levy from lowearners in the ‘no-tax’ bracket, reverse
the Universal Social Charge and keep
minimum wage earners out of the tax
bracket.
d)	 Immediately return social welfare
payments to 2010 levels, and as soon as
economic conditions permit raise them
further to ensure adequate incomes (no
one below the poverty line).
e)	 Protect the social welfare fund by working
to end fraud and creating jobs to get
people off the dole.
f)	 Restore the Christmas Bonus social
welfare payment.
g)	 Restore Child Benefit to 2010 levels.
h)	 Improving the social welfare system to
ensure support is given to people seeking
financial help in an holistic way – ensure
a decent standard of living, access to
childcare when job seeking, studying
or training and, when employed, the
provision of skills training and counselling
where needed.
i)	 New guidelines, protocols and training
around the ‘habitual residence’ condition
to ensure that returned Irish emigrants
are not wrongly denied social welfare.
Centralise application data to ensure
geographical consistency in decisionmaking.
j)	 Improve the PRSI system to ensure
employers are contributing fairly to their
employees’ welfare (Irish employers
contribute the least in Europe to their
employees’ social protection).
k)	 A cap on utility prices, including electricity
and gas, for a minimum of three years and
a reduction where possible.
l)	 Maintaining VAT at its current rate, with
eventual decreases of this regressive
taxation.
m)	Ensure a percentage is allocated from
the carbon tax income fund in order to

specifically address energy poverty and
subsidise energy efficiency measures for
the lowest-income groups. Introducing
compensatory measures to offset the
carbon tax for low-income families, as
demanded by social justice groups across
the State.
n)	 	Introduce a Cost of Disability Payment
on a phased basis, to offset extra costs
related to disability and in recognition
of disproportionate rates of poverty
and unemployment among people with
disabilities.

A Fair Taxation System
The purpose of the tax system is to
collect finances to run the State, including
providing services like health, education,
justice and social welfare.
A good tax system is fair – it taxes those
who can afford it most and asks for less
from those who cannot afford it. In this
State, the tax system has been undermined
as a result of changes introduced by
successive governments leaving us in a
position where the tax-take is insufficient to
fund basic public services.
Fianna Fáil has steadily reduced direct
taxation (income taxes) on the better-off
while increasing flat taxes (VAT and rates),
which is regressive and impacts most on
ordinary people. The introduction of a
Universal Social Charge in Budget 2011
and the lowering of the tax bands to bring
more people into the tax net and more
lower-earners into the marginal higher tax
rate of 41% has unfairly targeted the leastwell-off for tax increases and lessened
these groups’ disposable income – doing
more damage in the long-run to the State’s
finances.
Sinn Féin believes in providing high-quality,
free at the point of delivery public services
and these must be paid for. This State

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

g)	 Increase tax on second homes to €600

does not have a spending problem in its
structural finances; it has a tax-raising and
retention problem. Many people made vast
fortunes during the Celtic Tiger era, much of
which was under-taxed due to the extent of
tax breaks available.

and introduce a tiered tax increase on
subsequent homes: e.g. €700 for third
homes, €800 for fourth and fifth homes.
h)	 Hardship appeals system: Examine the
introduction of an income-linked waiver
for individuals with second homes
who cannot sell them in the current
climate, are struggling to meet mortgage
repayments or are in financial difficulties.
Potential to raise €120million.
i)	 Abolish exemptions including PRSI
exemption for share options. Raises
€18million.
j)	 Abolish the income tax exemption for
share-option schemes. Raises €3million.
k)	 Adjust PRSI on share-based remuneration
and Capital Gains). Raises €79million.
l)	 Abolish legacy amounts of property tax
reliefs. Potential to raise €400million per
annum.
m)	In the longer-term, see progressive
multiple bands and rates to ensure that
those who have the most pay the most.
We commit to keeping minimum-wage
earners out of the tax net and restoring
the standard rate tax band to its 2010
levels.
n)	 Reverse the Universal Social Charge
and ensure that social insurance is
progressive, so that those who have more
pay more.
o)	 Reduce dependence on regressive
indirect taxes. Rebalance the tax
system to so that it is less dependent on
regressive ‘indirect’ taxes such as VAT
and stamp duty.
p)	 End tax breaks and close loopholes
abused by higher-earners. Vigorously
pursue tax avoiders and change the laws
so that tax exiles lose their citizenship.
q)	 	No introduction of water charges or of
property taxes for primary homes.
r)	 The introduction of an international tax
on speculative currency transactions (a
‘Tobin Tax’) to increase global economic
stability.

We believe that those who can afford it
should be asked to pay more.
Sinn Féin is also advocating tax
harmonisation across the island so we can
remove a dual system that penalises border
businesses and citizens and impedes the
development of an all-island economy.


Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Restructure the bank debts, including

burning the bank bondholders in those
banks which are insolvent, including
Anglo Irish Bank. This will ensure tax
raised is spent on Irish public services
– not servicing or paying off the debt
incurred for bailing out the banks.
b)	 The introduction of a 1% Wealth Tax. This
would be an income-linked Wealth Tax
for high-earners levied on their assets
over €1million in value, excluding working
farmland. Potential to raise €1billion.
c)	 The introduction of a third tax rate of
48% on individual income in excess of
three times the average industrial wage
(€100,000) per annum. Raises €410million.
d)	 Standardise all discretionary taxation
expenditures (tax reliefs paid at either
the standard or marginal rate depending
on income) with a view to ultimately
eradicating tax reliefs that do not return a
value for society. Raises €1.1billion.
e)	 Increase ‘wealth taxes’: Capital Gains
Tax to rise to 40% (15% increase) –
raises €240million; and increase Capital
Acquisitions Tax to 35% (10% increase).
Raises €96million.
f)	 Abolish mortgage interest relief for
landlords. Raises €285million (2009
figure).

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

s)	 Ensure the State finances benefit from

natural resources by increasing licence
fees for off-shore exploration companies.
The State to take a 51% shareholding
in these resources. An immediate levy
of 48% and a royalty of 7.5% should be
applied on landed gas and oil.
t)	 Keep the ESB and all other public
companies in public ownership.

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

PART 2
Public Services
The Health System
Transformed

been left on waiting lists so long that their
illness has become terminal. Such failures
cannot be accepted.
The health system will only be transformed
if we have a clear vision of the kind of
healthcare citizens deserve. Doctors, nurses
and other health professionals do a great
job in circumstances that are increasingly
intolerable. It is time to start building a
health service that meets the needs of
all citizens and that treats them all on a
basis of equality. We need a system that
has primary and preventative healthcare
at its core. A refocus on primary and
preventative healthcare, together with
complementary measures to address the
social determinants of ill-health, will over
time produce healthcare savings to the
Exchequer by reducing the necessity for
higher cost acute care in many cases.

Sinn Féin’s vision is of a new Irish health
system with care for all based on need
alone.
Our public healthcare system is in crisis
because Fianna Fáil-led governments
for the past 13 years have been about
privatising the health service, and imposing
savage cuts. Operations are being
cancelled, public hospital beds are being
closed, services are being slashed, frontline
healthcare jobs are being cut back and
patients are suffering.
All this is happening in a two-tier system
where wealth can buy you better care in
the private health sector – a private sector
subsidised by the Government at the
expense of the public system.

We will all benefit – the economy will benefit
in the long run – if we build a world-class
health system.

Even at the height of the boom the health
system continued to struggle from crisis to
crisis, never properly recovering from the
cuts of the 1980s imposed by Governments
involving Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour.

Sinn Féin is committed to:a)	 A new universal public health system that

provides care to all free at the point of
delivery, on the basis of need alone, and
funded from general fair and progressive
taxation.
b)	 	End the ‘two tier system’. Introducing
comprehensive community-based primary
health and social care services for all, free
at the point of delivery, including General
Practitioner and dental services and
abolishing all prescription charges.

The HSE has failed because it is top heavy
with expensive bureaucracy and is trying
to operate an inherently inequitable and
inefficient system based on fundamentally
flawed policy.
Too often the health system has failed the
most vulnerable young people in its care.
It has failed patients whose illnesses have
been misdiagnosed and those who have

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

c)	 Restore direct Ministerial and

drugs, and tackling over-prescription
and wastage. Saves €200million (figure
provided by the Department of Health in
2009).
l)	 A regular, free, full health screening for
every citizens as part of a fundamental
reorientation of the health system
adopting a central focus on prevention,
health promotion and primary care
(including mental health care). This will
save people from needless suffering and
is the best way to avoid more expensive
treatments later. It will also help reduce
lost working hours, saving money for
workers, businesses and the healthcare
system.
m)	An end to the over-centralisation of
hospital facilities and a reversal of
cutbacks in services at local hospitals.
Provide cancer care on a truly nationwide
basis, with access to radiation oncology
and other cancer services in all the
regions.
n)	 Plan for enhanced provision of essential
public nursing home beds, community
care facilities and home care.
o)	 Develop health services on an all-Ireland
basis, progressing from increased cooperation to integration of services on the
island.
p)	 Improving accountability and
transparency in planning and financing
mental health service reform.
q)	 Modernise mental health legislation in line
with the new Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.
r)	 Promoting cross-departmental action to
combat social exclusion, prejudice and
discrimination against people with mental
health problems.
s)	 Ring-fence 12% of annual Department of
Health budget for mental health services
in line with World Health Organisation
recommendations.
t)	 Develop and promote suicide prevention
strategies.
u)	 Ensure provision of required child and
adolescent community-based mental

Departmental responsibility for health
services which are funded by public
money.
d)	 A Health Funding Commission to plan the
transition to a new single-tier healthcare
system.
e)	 Reverse the current health cuts. Fund
health in the context of reformed taxation
and a progressive economic strategy. Roll
out the promised Primary Care Centres
throughout the State on an accelerated
timetable. No more cuts to services at
local hospitals and restore those services
already cut.
f)	 Fewer bureaucrats, more frontline health
workers. Carry out a review of managerial
and administrative posts within the health
service and the Department of Health,
with a view towards eliminating those
positions that are surplus to requirement
and using the money saved to hire more
frontline health professionals.
g)	 An end to public subsidies for private
healthcare. Invest all health funding
in the public system, immediately end
tax breaks for private hospitals and
the land gift scheme, phase out public
subsidisation of and ultimately replace
the private system within an agreed
timetable. Abolish the National Treatment
Purchase Fund and return its funding to
the public health system
h)	 End private hospital co-location scheme.
Potential to save €100million
i)	 Apply charges based on the full economic
cost to all use of all beds in public and
voluntary hospitals in the State for the
purposes of private medical practice.
Saves €305million.
j)	 Action should be taken to regulate
excessive GP fees. Roll out the promised
Primary Care Centres throughout the
State on an accelerated timetable.
k)	 Reduce the cost of medicines in our
health system, establishing a state
company for the wholesale distribution
of drugs, using lower-cost generic

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

The best start for children today offers the
best future for us all as a society and for the
economy.

health services and end the placement of
children in adult in-patient facilities.
v)	 Develop neurological care services,
prioritising implementation of the National
Rehabilitation Strategy, including acute
neurology and stroke services.
w)	A Supplementary Lourdes Hospital
Redress Scheme, acknowledging
and compensating the remaining 35
women victims of Michael Neary, to be
undertaken and completed within the
current calendar year.
x)	 A Commission of Inquiry into the
practice of symphysiotomy and take all
appropriate steps to help bring closure
for the women survivors of this barbaric
practice.
y)	 Equity in access to hospice and palliative
care services.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 A Constitutional referendum to enshrine

fully the rights of children in the
Constitution.
b)	 	Introduce a robust system of child
protection, ensuring that every child in
care is allocated a social worker with
whom they would have ongoing contact
with, and resource the care system
according to need; put Children First
guidelines on a statutory footing; ensure
that children are listened to, and the
child’s best interests are paramount in
all matters concerning them; legislate to
ensure that children have a statutory right
to aftercare services on leaving care.
c)	 Ensure the public provision of
comprehensive child-centred childcare
services. These need to be developed
in consultation with parents and
communities, reflecting the needs of
children and families, and recognising
the importance of childcare for social
cohesion and economic development and
the true value of the labour of childcare
workers.
d)	 A return to free education. End the
system where schools are reliant on
voluntary contributions from parents by
raising the capitation grants to cover the
real cost of running a school. Abolish the
charge for the Leaving Cert and Junior
Cert and for the mocks. Establish a booklending scheme across all primary and
secondary schools.
e)	 A minimum of 150 school building
projects to enter the architectural and
planning stage each year so that schools
are ready to proceed as quickly as
possible to the construction phases. End
wasteful spending on the use of prefabs.

Education and
Children – The Best
Start for Our Children
Sinn Féin believes that children’s rights
should be enshrined in the Constitution.
Every parent aspires to the best start for
their children. We are committed to ensuring
that is more than an aspiration – we are
committed to delivering the best start for
our children. Free primary, secondary and
third-level education is a top priority for Sinn
Féin. This will mean eliminating the growing
parental contributions and other costs that
have undermined the entitlement to free
education.
We will focus on improving childcare
choices for parents in the earliest years
of their children’s lives including through
the introduction of what is the norm in
most European states – a state pre-school
system. We will improve the care given to
the most vulnerable children.

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

The Wrongs of the
Celtic Tiger Put Right

f)	 Enhance Irish-medium education and

Irish-language learning by giving the
Department of Education and Skills
responsibility to create and service the
demand for Gaelscoileanna, including the
immediate building of Irish primary and
secondary schools where the demand has
already been shown.
g)	 Restore special needs assistants,
resource hours, and language resource
teachers and Traveller education
supports. Recognise and resource
Educate Together and other nondenominational schools at primary and
secondary level where there is demand
for them.
h)	 The creation of 500 new teaching posts
and the reduction of class sizes to 20
pupils per teacher.
i)	 The extension of breakfast clubs,
homework clubs and school meals to all
schools in disadvantaged areas
j)	 An end to the state subsidy of private
education.
k)	 Recreational and leisure facilities to
be more widely available including
playgrounds, youth cafes, and skate
parks and tennis/basketball courts.
l)	 Prioritise action on autism to ensure the
earliest intervention for all who need it,
access to Applied Behavioural Analysis
(ABA) and enhanced funding for people
with autism, their carers and support
organisations
m)	Oppose the reintroduction of third-level
fees through any guise and reform the
grants system to take into account the
real costs of going to college.

For more than a decade, Fianna Fáil-led
government policies supported and fuelled
the development of an unsustainable
economic model which became known as
the Celtic Tiger. Many of these policies have
left us with serious social and economic
problems that cannot be left unaddressed.
The legacy of the Celtic Tiger includes
‘ghost’ housing estates, negative equity,
an unprecedented banking crisis,
unemployment, a personal debt crisis,
badly planned towns and a huge Exchequer
deficit. These legacy issues for which
Government policy is largely responsible
have to be addressed if we want to
avoid even greater social and economic
difficulties into the future.
Increasing numbers of homeowners are
struggling to pay off mortgages with many
others experiencing negative equity. Without
intervention, mortgage default is likely to
become a major issue in the time ahead.
While other economies are slowly coming
out of recession, if our homeowner debt
situation is not addressed it could greatly
hamper our chances of recovery.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

1)	 The wind-down of NAMA.
a)	 The State must take the properties

already transferred to NAMA. A
redirection of some of this stock must
be made, where possible, to eradicate
the current housing waiting list and for
social good. In other cases, estates
must be finished to a high standard
and sold where possible. Clear or
demolish unviable house starts.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

Examination must be made of the
proposals for apartment blocks and
hotels, etc, acquired by NAMA to be
used for schools, homeless shelters,
state-run nursing homes and stepdown facilities.
Help
people – not bail out banks.
2)	
a)	 Examine models for mortgage
debt forgiveness for those on low
and average incomes who are in
negative equity and who are in
arrears. This would include looking
at making available a system of
recourse for those struggling to pay
their mortgages whose difficulties
are primarily the result of reckless
lending by financial institutions.
Under such a scheme householders
should be permitted to hand back
the keys and walk away from the
mortgage without the debt following
them.
b)	 Nationalise the Bank of Ireland and
AIB, amalgamate them and turn them
into a state bank. Wind down Anglo
Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide which
cannot exist without State help.
c)	 Legislate if necessary to ensure all
those responsible for reckless and
corrupt behaviour in the banks and
auditing firms are held to account.
d)	 Hold developers to account. We
will ensure that ghost estates are
completed where appropriate.
e)	 Enforce a requirement for all
future developments to follow a
strict procedure for planning that
includes the provision of essential
infrastructure such as transport,
schools, health clinics and shops,
increase the bond which developers
are required to provide to local
authorities and require all work to be
completed to a certified standard.
f)	 Prevent future property bubbles
by capping land prices zoned for
housing and increasing the regulation
of banks and all those involved in the

property sector. Increasing Capital
Gains Tax as proposed earlier would
also curb the development of future
property bubbles.
g)	 A Housing Ombudsman with a
remit to monitor and enforce the
relevant codes of conduct, provide
an effective remedy short of the
courts, monitor the implementation
of housing and planning legislation,
monitor changes in house prices,
mortgage payments in arrears,
mortgage interest rates and
professional fees, and repossessions.
h)	 Complete the stalled regeneration
projects.
i)	 End long-term homelessness within
two years of taking office – do
this through the provision of social
housing and provide a dedicated
revenue stream for supported
accommodation for the homeless;
implement a new strategy on
youth homelessness; provide for a
reliable annual count of all people in
homeless services using ‘Counted-In’
methodology.
j)	 A Tenants’ Rights Charter including
rent controls and strengthen the
enforcement of existing tenancy laws.

The Rural Way of
Life Protected and
Developed
Rural communities have been put under
threat as a result of Government policy. The
erosion of crucial services and the failure to
create jobs has meant that emigration and
depopulation is a live issue for many parts
of rural Ireland once again. The importance
of the rural economy – of farming, fishing,
tourism and the growth potential of

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

the renewable energy sector – has not
been recognised nor their potential fully
developed.

in the form of a public service obligation
order (PSO) requiring An Post to continue
to provide postal services in those areas
under threat. Transform the rural postal
network to make rural post offices a
‘one stop shop’ for a range of services
including postal services, banking
services, council services and citizens’
information. We will look at the feasibility
of reopening as many as possible of
the 344 post offices that were closed
between 2001 and 2008.
e)	 Uphold the Universal Service Obligation
and oppose privatisation of postal
services.
f)	 End the policy of closing rural schools.
g)	 Reform planning laws to enable rural
people to build or buy a home for
themselves locally.

Sinn Féin has been very critical of
Government policy but we have also put
forward our own alternative. Sinn Féin
produced three major Oireachtas reports:
Awakening the West – Overcoming Social
and Economic Inequality; Report on the
Future of Farming and Fishing in the West;
and Report on the Agri-food Sector.
Sinn Féin is committed to protecting the
rural way of life, including vital rural services
such as bus services, post offices, Garda
stations and primary schools. We have put
forward realistic proposals to maintain jobs
in rural communities.


Sinn Féin is committed to:

Develop Farming and Fishing

Maintaining Essential Services and
Creating Jobs

a)	 Ensure those with the lowest farm

incomes benefit proportionally more from
the single farm payment (SFP) and abolish
the SFP for large businesses not directly
involved in farming. Cap Single Farm
Payments at €100,000.
b)	 Reverse cuts to the Disadvantaged
Area Scheme and the Early Retirement
Scheme.
c)	 Develop employment potential through
a range of measures including the
promotion of traditional cattle and
sheep breeds, an increase in the energy
crop grant to €125 per hectare and the
promotion of community-based windenergy projects.
d)	 Establish a Rural Enterprise Fund to
support new micro enterprises and
co-ops being set up in rural areas,
particularly in the agri-food sector.
e)	 Full country of origin labelling for meat,
fish, poultry products and all agricultural
products sold here.
f)	 Negotiate a radical reform of the Common
Fisheries Policy as part of current review.

a)	 Total opposition to the sale of Coillte into

private hands. It holds lands valued at
€1.2billion and made €300million profit
since 1989. It is a vital State asset that
needs to be developed and not sold into
private hands.
b)	 Restoration of the sugar beet processing
industry either for sugar or ethanol
production or both. At the time, Sinn
Féin argued against the closure and
highlighted the potential of converting the
industry to dual production of sugar and
ethanol.
c)	 Increase investment in public transport
at affordable prices. Reject privatisation.
More frequent services linking rural
areas to urban centres. Introduce
smaller vehicles for rural communities
and a demand-responsive dial-up transit
system.
d)	 A secure future for rural post offices. To
save a number of post offices at risk of
imminent closure, immediately intervene

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

g)	 Greater resources devoted to combating

duties to fight crime is essential and must
be expedited.
Increase
Garda resources in rural Ireland
b)	
to allow Gardaí to serve the community
fully and end the policy of closing rural
Garda stations.
c)	 Scrap the Garda Reserve and use the
money saved to employ full-time Gardaí.
d)	 Increase funding for Garda Drugs Units
with enhanced community input into
their use and priorities and guarantee the
future of the ‘Dial to Stop Drug Dealing’
non-Garda confidential phoneline.
e)	 Raise Garda visibility and activity in areas
and at times needed by reassigning
Gardai from desk duties to the beat.
Secure a greater number of sniffer dogs
and handlers skilled in the detection of
drugs and firearms.
f)	 Properly resource and equip An Garda
Síochána, the office of the DPP, the
Courts Service and the State Forensic
Laboratory to detect, investigate and
secure sound convictions. This must
include a secure digital radio system
and appointment of more Criminal Asset
Profilers.
g)	 Addressing the large number of alcohol
outlets by imposing further restrictions
on them and giving more power to Joint
Policing Committees and local authorities
to decide on location and opening hours.
h)	 Tackle organised crime – Ensure existing
laws are used more effectively together
with sufficient resources to ensure more
robust and systematic investigations to
target organised crime.
i)	 Invest all monies confiscated by
the Criminal Assets Bureau in the
communities worst affected by crime.
j)	 Keep victims of crime, especially of
violent crime, fully informed throughout
the investigation and prosecution process
and at pre-release stage.
k)	 Ensure consistent prosecution of sexual
assault, rape and domestic violence.
Enlarge the network of Sexual Assault
Treatment Centres and increase funding

illegal fishing by non-Irish vessels.
h)	 Introduce administrative sanctions for
fisheries offences.
i)	 Measures to address the issue of fish
discard.
j)	 Implement Ombudsman’s
recommendations on the Lost at Sea
Scheme.
k)	 Oppose any move at EU or WTO level
that undermines the Irish food sector;
continued ban on Brazilian beef imports.

Local Communities
Made Safe
People have the right to feel safe in their
homes and communities. Sinn Féin will
prioritise making communities tormented by
anti-social behaviour, crime and drugs safer
communities.
We will increase the number of Gardaí and
community Gardaí on the ground, focusing
on building better relationships between the
community and the Gardaí.
We will put resources into diverting young
people away from involvement in drugs,
crime and anti-social behaviour.
Older people and those living on their own
or in isolated areas must feel secure in their
homes.
Women have the right to feel safe in their
community and in our towns and cities, day
and night.


Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Boost Garda numbers by ending current
recruitment, promotion and overtime
embargoes. A far-reaching process of
civilianisation to free-up fully trained
Gardaí from administrative and other

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

o)	 Introduce sentencing guidelines and

to sexual assault victim support services.
Where appropriate, ensure attachment
of conditions of release that prevent an
offender from returning to an area where
a victim lives or works and implement
swift sanctions for sex offenders who
break these or other conditions.
l)	 Introduce practical protections for juries
and witnesses. Develop and place a
revamped Witness Protection Programme
on a statutory footing.
m)	Speed up the trial process to reduce the
windows of opportunity to intimidate and
threaten witnesses, including by reducing
court holidays to four weeks per year.
n)	 Enhance the intelligence-gathering
capacity of An Garda Síochána and
consequently the potential for successful
investigations and prosecutions of
gangland criminals by developing and
maintaining strong links between Gardaí
and the communities they serve.

judicial training to ensure that sentences
handed down are appropriate to the crime
committed and the harm caused to the
victim and the community.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

PART 3
Towards a new republic
Political Reform –
An End to Cronyism,
Corruption and
Privilege

For many citizens, the political institutions
on this island are exclusive, inaccessible
and unaccountable. A large proportion
of those eligible to vote don’t vote. Other
Irish citizens, including those living in the
Six Counties and those working and living
abroad, are denied the right to vote.
Partition has had a corrosive and deeply
damaging impact on our politics, economy
and society. The all-Ireland structures of
the Good Friday Agreement should be
developed and enhanced and additional
ones established.

The political system has failed the people of
Ireland. Public disillusionment with politics
has grown as the role of the Government
and the Establishment parties in bringing
about the economic crisis has become
more apparent. This has been exacerbated
by revelations of corruption, outrageous
expenses claims and an ineffectual
Oireachtas.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Frame a new Constitution. Establishing

an all-Ireland Constitutional Forum
drawn from representatives of both
legislatures on this island, civic society,
business and trade unions to discuss
and bring forward a Draft Constitution.
The Forum would involve consultation at
grassroots level and ensure participatory
governance. Its goal would be to produce
a Constitution fully reflective of the values
and aspirations of the Irish people today,
soundly based on democratic principles
and international human rights standards,
and which would form the basis for a
future 32-county Republic.
b)	 Increase voter participation. Hold
elections at weekends. Reduce the voting
age to 16. Establish an Independent
Electoral Commission to be responsible
for voter registration and education.
Automatically register voters as soon as
they become eligible to vote using PPS
numbers to avoid fraud.

The political system is dominated and
corrupted by the privileged, paralysed
by clientelism and dynastic politics, and
resistant to change. The Oireachtas has
consistently failed to exert sufficient
scrutiny over the Government and public
bodies.
Sinn Féin believes that it is time for
fundamental political reform. The current
system is not fit for purpose. It has brought
us ‘boom/bust’ economics and has failed to
create a fair society where there is genuine
equality of opportunity and outcome. It
has not delivered the adequate provision
of the essential building blocks of a vibrant
and fair society nor the ability to underpin
that society with a robust and sustainable
economy.	

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

c)	 Extend the right to vote to Irish citizens

in decision-making, retaining only those
agencies whose independent function is
essential to the public interest.
All
o)	 State boards to be answerable to the
Oireachtas through relevant committees
and ministers with transparency and
efficiency in decision-making.
p)	 Establish an All-Ireland Parliamentary
and Consultative Civic Forum and
complete the Review of the All-Ireland
Implementation bodies with particular
consideration of the case for additional
bodies.
q)	 End political appointments to State
boards – there needs to be an open and
transparent system of appointments to
State bodies.
r)	 Change the law to allow for the
impeachment or removal from the Dáil
any TD involved in corruption, deliberate
misuse of public money or fraud.

living and working outside of the
jurisdiction as is the norm in most modern
democracies. Models in place in other
countries should be examined to find
the best model to apply here that could
involve restrictions based on the length of
time that a person has been abroad.
d)	 Extend voting rights to non-citizens
legally resident in the country for at least
five years.
e)	 Reform how the Dáil is elected. Elect
one-third of the Dáil from a list system;
the other two-thirds from six-seat
constituencies based on PRSTV.
f)	 Abolish the Seanad in its current form.
g)	 Cap ministerial salaries at €100,000; TDs’
salaries at €75,000.
h)	 Make the Dáil more accessible to the
public, increase the number of days the
Dáil sits and introduce family-friendly
sitting hours.
i)	 Increase the power of TDs to hold the
Government to account and to question
the Taoiseach and ministers on issues of
importance without giving prior notice of
questions.
j)	 Give Dáil committees investigative
powers and allocate committee chairs
proportionally on the basis of party
strength with no additional financial
reward attached to them.
k)	 Northern representation in the Dáil –
The existing 18 Westminster MPs to
automatically be accorded membership
of the Oireachtas. Voting rights in
Presidential elections to be extended to
citizens in the Six Counties.
l)	 Enhance Citizens’ Information Centres
and MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting
Service) offices around the country.
m)	Increase the availability of social workers
and other independent advocates to
ensure that fair treatment and full access
to rights and entitlements no longer
depend on wealth or social or political
connections.
n)	 A significant cull of QUANGOs and
unelected bodies to cut back on waste
and improve transparency and efficiency

Building an Ireland of
Equals
Inequality and discrimination remain a fact
of life for many in Ireland. While the gap
has widened between those with massive
wealth and those who are forced to work
long hours and have poor quality of life as a
direct result of Fianna Fáil policy, this crisis
is about more than the economy.
The number of children living in consistent
poverty is increasing, as well as the number
of people in need of social housing. The
Celtic Tiger bypassed many people and
they are worst affected by the cuts, both
economically and socially.
The republican vision is about building of
‘An Ireland of Equals’. It is at the core of our
agenda for change. For this reason we need
a new type of politics based on inclusion,
equality and fairness.

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Investing in equality is what will help Ireland
recover. Inequality costs society more.
The elimination of inequality is possible.
Investing in economic equality will be a
key part of bringing the 26 Counties out of
recession and ensuring that people’s quality
of life is of the highest standard.

a Disability Ombudsman and a National
Disability Strategy within the Department
of the Taoiseach to set annual targets
towards full delivery by 2016.
f)	 A major pilot study on direct payments
to include individuals from across the
disability spectrum. Define people’s
qualifications for personal assistance
services, supporting independent living
for disabled people, and regulate in law
the provision of these services to ensure
proper standards.
g)	 Publish a National Carers’ Strategy to
secure an adequate income, employment
and social opportunities, health and
wellbeing supports for all family carers.
h)	 Legislation to permit and recognise
same-sex marriage. Provide full and equal
recognition of all civil partnerships in law.
i)	 Stronger hate crime legislation. Reinstate
previous funding levels for anti-racism
initiatives and provide annual increases
as necessary. Fully implement and
resource the National Action Plan Against
Racism.
j)	 Official recognise Travelling people as an
ethnic minority deserving of protection
under the UN Convention Against
All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Repeal the sections of the Housing
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002 that
criminalise the Traveller way of life.
k)	 A fully independent and transparent
Immigration Appeals Tribunal. Ensure that
Irish citizens have family reunification
rights equal to those of other EU citizens
resident in Ireland.
l)	 A new ‘Equality Strategy’ that draws
together previously fragmented strategies
to eliminate discrimination and introduce
real equality and establish an Oireachtas
Committee on Equality and Human Rights
to monitor implementation of our new
equality and human rights laws.
m)	Ensure that the Irish Human Rights
Commission remains as a stand-alone
body. Expand the Equality Authority
to address poverty, and ensure that

This is not just rhetorical – we bring equality
and human rights in to every area of our
policy. Sinn Féin fought hard for the equality
and human rights protections introduced
as a consequence of the Good Friday
Agreement and we will continue to press for
the fulfilment of the principle of equivalence
in human rights and equality protections
between the Six Counties and 26 Counties
and for their continual improvement.


Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Build an Ireland of Equals where

everyone’s rights are guaranteed,
free of divisions caused by partition,
sectarianism, racism and other forms of
discrimination, and free from poverty and
economic inequality.
b)	 An all-Ireland ‘Strategy for Women’s
Equality’.
c)	 Bind gender targets of at least 40% for
either gender on the boards of State and
semi-State bodies, the judiciary, and
the Cabinet. Consider extending such
targets to private-sector bodies in receipt
of Government funding within a given
timeframe.
d)	 Publish the National Positive Ageing
Strategy following consultation and direct
participation of older people themselves,
establish a proactive Ombudsman for
Older People, prioritise the protection of
vulnerable older people including through
the introduction of modern mental
capacity legislation.
e)	 Review the current Disability Act with a
view to the introduction of a new rightsbased Disability Act alongside robust
enforcement mechanisms and establish

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

appointments to the boards of both
organisations are through an open and
transparent process.
n)	 A statutory duty to equality-proof all law
and policy including budgets to promote
equality at least equivalent to that
operates in the Six Counties.
o)	 Multi-annual funding being made
available to the community and voluntary
sector and ensure organisations are
supported to fulfil their obligations under
the Charities Act 2009. Introduce a VAT
refund scheme for charities and protect
the community and voluntary sectors
right to engage in advocacy.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 Implementation of a comprehensive strategy
to roll back the erosion of the primacy of
Irish in Gaeltacht areas and to create new
Gaeltacht areas, particularly in urban centres,
across the island
b)	 Sinn Féin supports the Guth na Gaeltachta
campaign and believes that cuts to the
payments made to Mná Tí under the Scéim na
bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaelige will not only seriously
deter young people from attending Gaeltacth
colleges but will negatively impact upon the
Gaeltacht itself.
c)	 Reconstitute COGG as a statutory body
with defined powers to represent the views
and recommendations of stakeholders for
formulating educational policies for the
Gaeltacht, Irish-speaking communities and
Irish – medium schools.
d)	 Industrial centres of excellence under the
auspices of Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht
regions to foster employment for local
communities.
e)	 The incoming Irish Government must ensure
that they and the British Government follow
through on their commitments to introduce
a fully-resourced and rights-based Irish
Language Act in the North of Ireland.
f)	 Full implementation of the 20-year
Strategy on the Irish Language, including
the recommendations made by the Joint
Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture,
Sport, Community, Equality and Gaeltacht
Affairs.
g)	 Adequate funding for Irish-medium education
from early years through to third level is
essential. We also support the development
of an Irish-medium teacher training college
based in the Gaeltacht.
h)	 Syllabus reform in respect of Irish. It needs
to be changed in order to make it more
communicative and a shift in the balance of
marks awarded in examinations in favour of
oral and aural competence.
i)	 Keep Irish a compulsory subject in primary
and second-level education.

An Ghaeilge agus na
Gaeltachtaí
Sinn Féin supports the restoration of the
Irish language as the spoken language
among the majority of people in Ireland and
the creation of a truly bilingual society.
We believe that there should be an Aire
Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta in Cabinet with
responsibility to deliver on the 20-year
strategy.
Equality is an integral part of a democratic
society and this includes upholding the
rights of Irish-language speakers.
Gaeltacht areas must be protected,
supported and developed. The future of
the Irish language is dependent upon
the continuing existence of sustainable
Gaeltacht communities where Irish remains
the primary language of the community.
These communities require a clear
Government strategy for their survival and
development.
Sinn Féin believes that the Irish language
must be fully supported and resourced in
the education system and the right to be
educated through the Irish language should
be constitutionally and legally enshrined.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

c)	 D’athbhunú an COGG mar chomhlacht

An Ghaeilge agus na
Gaeltachtaí

reachtúil a mbeidh cumhachtaí sainaitheanta
aige moltaí agus tuairimí na bpáirtithe
leasmhara á léiriú le haghaidh polasaithe
oideachais don Ghaeltacht, do phobail
Ghaeilge agus do scoileanna Gaeloideachas a
ullmhú.
d)	 D’Ionaid Thionsclaíocha Barr Feabhais faoi
choimirce Údarás na Gaeltachta i réigiúin
Ghaeltachta chun fostaíocht a chruthú do
phobail áitiúla.
e)	 D’aithint an ghá a bheidh ag an chéad Rialtas
eile agus ag Rialtas na Breataine na dualgais
a chomhlíonadh a bhaineann le cur isteach
Acht na Gaeilge i dTuaisceart na hÉireann
a bhfuil áiseanna aige agus atá ceartabhunaithe.
f)	 Do chur i bhfeidhm iomlán na Straitéise
20 Bliain um Ghaeilge, lena n-áirítear na
moltaí a chuir Comhchoiste an Oireachtais
Ar Thurasóireacht, Chultúr, Spórt, Phobal,
Chomhionannas agus Ghnóthaí Gaeltachta i
láthair.

Tugann Sinn Féin tacaíocht d’athbhunú na
Gaeilge mar theanga labhartha d’fhormhór
na ndaoine in Éirinn agus do shochaí
dhátheangach a chruthú.
Creideann muid gur cheart go mbeadh Aire
Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta sa Chomh-aireacht
a mbeadh an fhreagracht aige an straitéis 20
bliain a leagadh amach a sheachadadh.
Is bonn tábhachtach de shochaí
dhaonlathach é comhionannas agus
folaíonn sé seo seasamh le cearta
chainteoirí na Gaeilge.
Ba cheart go mbeadh ceantair Ghaeltachta
á gcosaint, á dtacú agus á bhforbairt. Tá
todhchaí na Gaeilge ag brath ar mharthain
leanúnach de phobail Ghaeltachta
inbhuanaithe ina maireann an Ghaeilge mar
phríomhtheanga an phobail. Teastaíonn ó
na pobail seo straitéis shoiléir Rialtais le
haghaidh a marthana agus a bhforbartha.

g)	 Do chistiú Gaeloideachais ó na blianta tosaigh
go dtí an tríú leibhéal. Tugann muid tacaíocht
freisin do choláiste oiliúna múinteoirí do
Ghaeloideachas atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht a
fhorbairt.
h)	 Do leasú siollabais i leith na Gaeilge. Tá gá
le hathrú an tsiollabais ionas go mbeidh sé
ní ba chumarsáidí agus go mbeidh athrú i
gcothromaíocht na marcanna a bhronnfar i
scrúduithe i bhfabhar cumais labhartha agus
chluastuisceana.
i)	 Don Ghaeilge a choinneáil mar ábhar
riachtanach in oideachas bunscoile agus
oideachas an dara leibhéil.

Creideann Sinn Féin gur gá go dtugtar
lántacaíocht agus áiseanna don Ghaeilge
sa chóras oideachais agus gur gá an ceart
oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge a fháil a
chumhdú go cionmhar agus go dleathach.


Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta:

a)	 Do chur i bhfeidhm straitéise cuimsithí
chun creimeadh phríomhaíocht na Gaeilge i
gceantair Ghaeltachta a thiontú agus chun
ceantair Ghaeltachta úra a chruthú ar fud an
oileáin, go háirithe sna ceantair uirbeacha.
b)	 Do thacaíocht a thabhairt d’fheachtas Ghuth
na Gaeltachta agus creideann muid nach
mbeidh daoine óga á spreagadh chun freastal
ar choláistí Gaeltachta mar gheall ar na
gearrthacha ar íocaíochtaí a thugtar do mhná
tithe faoi Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge
agus go n-imreoidh sé seo drochthionchar ar
an nGaeltacht féin.

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

Uniting Ireland

The people of a unified Ireland would
benefit from having:-

The achievement of a united Ireland is
within our reach. Unity offers the best
future for all people of Ireland. In a time
of unprecedented economic difficulties,
partition makes no economic sense and
is a barrier to the creation of jobs and the
building of prosperity. Differences in VAT,
Corporation Tax, excise duties and currency
create barriers to economic development on
both sides of the border and therefore cost
millions in lost tax revenue. The removal of
such impediments will create efficiencies,
employment, wealth and opportunities
across this island and will hasten the
reunification of Ireland.

1)	 Democratic control over all monetary and
fiscal policies;
2)	 An equitable and progressive tax regime;
3)	 A fully integrated energy, transport and
ICT infrastructure to support the growth
of island-wide prosperity based on the
principles of environmental sustainability;
4)	 Universal access to quality public
services;
5)	 Public ownership of infrastructure, run
efficiently in the public interest;
6)	 All-Ireland enterprise development and
economic planning.

Building a better Ireland must include
unification of the island.

Ninety years after partition, as communities
divided by the border become increasingly
reintegrated, the logic and inevitability of
reunification demands that we should.



Sinn Féin is committed to:

a)	 A referendum on Irish unity.
b)	 An all-Ireland Charter of Rights as

It is going to happen; we should plan for it .
Since the Good Friday Agreement, crossborder trade has steadily increased.
Hundreds of thousands of people live in one
jurisdiction while they shop, study or work in
the other. As old allegiances change within
unionism, particularly within the working
class, the potential for positive dialogue
with those from the unionist community
about their place in a united Ireland
becomes possible. It is time to begin the
transition towards a united Ireland.

provided for under the Good Friday
Agreement.
c)	 The integration of public services and
infrastructure on an all-Ireland basis,
enabling people to access services such
as health and education nearest to them,
regardless of which side of the border
they are on.
d)	 Co-ordinate economic planning on an allIreland basis. Harmonise taxation policy
and regulation across the island.
e)	 A Government minister with specific
responsibility for driving forward the
measures required to ensure a successful
transition towards a united Ireland,
the referendum on Irish unity and
negotiations with the British Government
and elected representatives from the
North.
f)	 The transfer of fiscal powers from
Westminster to the North.

Sinn Féin believes a new start is needed
in Ireland. There is wasteful duplication in
public services: there are two currencies,
two tax systems, two social services
structures, and two different sets of laws
and regulations.
Unity is not an issue of the past it is the
future. Partition does a massive disservice
to the people who live on this island. Irish
unity makes sense.

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Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011

g)	 Ensuring that the unionist community is

included at the centre of the debate about
the kind of Ireland we want and their
place within a united Ireland.
h)	 Implementing the other outstanding
elements of the Good Friday Agreement,
including the North-South Parliamentary
Forum and the All-Ireland Consultative
Civic Forum.
i)	 Requiring the British Government to
comply with the unanimous request
of the Oireachtas in 2008 to allow
independent, international access to all
original documents held by the British
Government relating to fatal attacks in the
26 Counties involving collusion between
crown forces and unionist paramilitaries.

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Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

40

There is a
Better Way
Tá bealach
níos fearr ann
www.sinnfein.ie

Sinn Féin General Election Manifesto 2011
Sinn Féin - Forógra Olltoghcháin 2011

