Socialist Party Policy and Promises

The policies that the Socialist Party will fight to have implemented should they become partners in the next government. 

Tax

Scrap all stealth and double taxes including the bin tax and plans to introduce water charges. Fund proper public services and social welfare, including a proper, living state pension, through progressive taxation that shifts the tax burden on to big business and the rich.

Health

A free publicly owned National Health Service, properly funded through a progressive taxation system to provide prompt healthcare for all so that people have no need for health insurance.

Use the wealth for public health. For massive investment to provide the beds, facilities and staff required to resolve the crisis at A&E and abolish long waiting lists for treatment.

Scrap GP and prescription charges.

Free primary healthcare. Fully equipped health centres in all communities, with teams of GPs, chemists, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists and social workers, including after hour services and health education.

Provide the resources including proper payment for carers, so wherever possible, the elderly can be looked after at home. For the state to provide comprehensive, quality nursing home care for all who need it.  

No more subsidies to private care or privatisation. Consultants employed in the public sector should only be entitled to do public work.

Education (Children and Childcare)

Free secular education from pre-school to university.
100% funding for schools to end the need for "voluntary contributions" and constant fund raising by parents.
Invest to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio to 15:1.
Provide resource teachers and the eliminate waiting times for accessing pupils with special needs.
Emergency action to guarantee school places for every child. No to new housing developments unless adequate school provision is guaranteed.
End the scandal of children in temporary classrooms or substandard schools.
Free childcare and pre-school education for all children.
Access to before and after school care and holiday clubs on school premises funded by the state.

Crime

Democratic community controlled police services.
Cut across anti social behaviour, invest in the educational, economic and leisure needs of young people.

Economy

Socialism, where the natural resources, the banks and key sectors of the economy are taken into democratic working class ownership and control.
A democratic socialist plan to provide for the needs of the majority and create a society based on co-operation not competition.
A mass trade union recruitment campaign and militant action to ensure decent pay and conditions for both Irish and migrant workers. End "social partnership".

Transport and Infrastructure

Massive state investment to provide a real public transport system which covers Dublin in an integrated network of trains, trams and buses.

Increase capacity and services. No person to be more than 5 minutes walk from a transport point were all routes run at least every 5 minutes at peak times.

No to privatisation or state subsidies for private transport. Democratically controlled public companies could build and operate transport services more efficiently and cheaper, while guaranteeing decent pay and conditions for transport employees.

Double the capacity of trains in North County Dublin by extedning platforms to cater for 16 carriage trains

Housing (Stamp Duty)

No to 40 year mortgages were people pay up to three times the cost of their home to the banks.
Control the price of building land and to make house prices reflect the real cost of building.
Scrap Stamp Duty.
End management company rip-off. Force builders to fully finish housing estates on time and councils to take responsibility for essential utilities immediately.
End local authority waiting lists. For an emergency state building programme to provide social housing for all who need it.

Children and Childcare

Free childcare and pre-school education for all children.
Access to before and after school care and holiday clubs on school premises funded by the state.
Paid Maternity Leave extended to 52 weeks, paid Paternity Leave extended to 12 weeks, paid Parental Leave of 52 weeks to be used by either parent until child is eight.
Third –level diploma course for childcare workers and degree course for pre-school teachers, and wages linked to comparable grades in public sector. 

Environment and Energy

Tackle global warming by forcing big business to make radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
State investment so that by 2020 more than 50% of Ireland's energy is from renewable sources.

Poverty

Resist bosses' imposing wage competition and a race to the bottom between workers.
Women suffer the worst pay and conditions and are still paid on average 16% less than men. The trade unions must take action to enforce equal pay. Extend paid maternity leave to 52 weeks.

Immigration

No to discrimination in rights, pay or entitlements on the basis of gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity or nationality.
Trade Union movement must organise migrant workers to avoid their exploitation.

Public Finances and Waste

Public Services to be run democratically, with involvement of public who play the part of the checks and balances, rather than wasting money on consultants.
An end to profiteering, corporate grants, abuse and overspending of public money.