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
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