The return of the present Government would lead to a permanent transformation of Irish society into one dominated by personal greed and self-interest, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, has warned.
Publishing his party's manifesto yesterday, Mr Noonan claimed his party was offering voters the choice of a different kind of Ireland.
"This is the last chance to vote for a different Ireland," he said, one that was radically different to that of Fianna Fáil and the PDs.
This Government was implementing "right-of-centre policies centred on the individual, driven by an 'I'm all right Jack' philosophy, where community values are not seen as relevant in the modern Ireland".
"Another five years of this will have bedded in a new kind of Ireland and it will be too late to reverse it."
The choice, he maintained, was "between an Ireland that is short-sighted, selfish, unfair and inward looking, and an Ireland that is forward-looking, compassionate and generous".
Mr Noonan said the individualistic philosophy promoted by the Government was causing "a vacuum in people's lives", which in turn led to 'don't know' ratings in political opinion polls of some 20 per cent.
He agreed there were differences in policy between Fine Gael and its potential government partner, the Labour Party. These differences were on issues such as the long-term pension fund. "But Labour's general thrust is not hugely different from ours," he said.
The party's finance spokesman, Mr Jim Mitchell, said his party's policies would "eliminate poverty within five years, transform the quality of life of our citizens and bring about a just and fair society". He pledged a number of significant income tax reductions that would cost €1.9 billion each year. The minimum wage would be exempt from income tax and this would be applied retrospectively to this year.
They would introduce a new 30 per cent tax band, which would mean that, over three years, a single person paying the current top rate of 42 per cent would have their tax reduced by 12 per cent on €15,000 of their earnings. Individualisation of the standard rate band would be phased out over three years
A childcare allowance of €5,000 per year for children under five against vouched costs would be introduced.
The National Profit Sharing Scheme promised by Fine Gael would give taxpayers a rebate in years where there was a current budget surplus above a certain level. This rebate would be paid in shares in a new National Investment Fund.
According to Mr Mitchell the scheme would give taxpayers a share of the State's profits and gave them a vested interest in demanding value for money in public spending.
Mr Noonan said, despite pessimism from unions and employers about the prospects of a new national wage deal, Fine Gael would seek to negotiate one on the basis of securing moderate wage increases in exchange for substantial improvements in public services.