Labour manifesto

The main points of the Labour Party general election manifesto.

The main points of the Labour Party general election manifesto.

Tax reform

2 per cent cut in the standard rate of tax

Increase home carers credit by €1,000

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Stamp duty

Abolition of stamp duty for first-time buyers up to €450,000

New banded system of stamp duty for other family home buyers

Health

2,300 more public hospital beds

Opposition to private hospital co-location plan

Extend medical cards to 40 per cent of the population

Universal health insurance beginning with free insurance for all those under 16

Industry, employment and training

Increase numbers in ongoing education and training by 100,000

Abolition of fees for part-time undergraduate courses

Education

Doubling of primary capitation grant and ... increase of €300 per pupil in second-level schools

Pupil-teacher ratio target of 25:1 and 15:1 in disadvantaged areas

Increase number of educational psychologists to 400

Housing

Introduce a Begin to Buy scheme where a person can buy part of a house with the State purchasing the remainder

10,000 social housing units a year and 5,000 affordable homes a year

Environment

50 per cent target for renewables by 2020

A new department for climate change, energy and the environment

Homes to be 60 per cent more energy efficient from 2008

Other

Trebling of community Garda numbers to 1,500

500 additional buses for Dublin with a standard €1 adult fare

50 per cent more Dáil sitting days

Reinstatement of the original provisions of Freedom of Information legislation

Civil union bill for gay couples