No guaranteed Sinn Fein support for FF - Adams

Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams said today the Taoiseach could not be guaranteed of his party’s support in the next Dáil.

Bertie Ahern nor anyone one else can take for granted the support of Sinn Féin TDs Sinn Fein President, Mr Gerry Adams

Such support would, he said, be conditional on the Government’s acceptance of Sinn Féin’s manifesto, which was announced in Dublin today.

The manifesto, entitled Building an Ireland of Equals, detailed the party's pledges on health, education, housing, justice, agriculture, rural regeneration and the economy.

"Bertie Ahern nor anyone one else can take for granted the support of Sinn Féin TDs," he said. "We will decide as a party who we will support based on the manifesto we are launching today".

Among the main points of the document is the insistence on the drafting of a Green Paper on Irish unity by the next Government. There are also demands for the appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Belfast Agreement and representation for politicians from the North in Leinster House.

The party is also calling for a full inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, and other murders involving alleged collusion between British security forces and loyalists.

"Whoever is looking for our vote is going to have to come up with policies which we think can be to the benefit of the majority of people on this island," Mr Adams reiterated. "The priority now is to bed down and implement the Good Friday Agreement".

The manifesto calls for an increase in health funding to 9 per cent of GDP, medical cards for all on or below minimum wage, increased resources for education at all levels, and the reduction of homelessness by 70 per cent in two years.

Sinn Féin is also calling for a Garda Ombudsman to investigate alleged misconduct among the police force and a review of the courts system.

They also pledged to tackle the issue of motor insurance costs by establishing a partnership between the State and the "more socially conscious" financial institutions to provide cheaper rates.

Mr Caoimhighín Ó Caoláin, TD for Cavan/Monaghan, claimed such policies could be funded in part by doubling Capital Gains Tax to 40 per cent, which would raise €1.8 billion. He claimed returning employers’ PRSI to 12 per cent would net a further €390 million for the Exchequer.

Sinn Féin is running 37 candidates in 34 constituencies, and hopes to gain at least three seats in the Dáil.