‘Programme for a Partnership Government’: the Executive Summary

On Wednesday, May 11th, the “Programme for a Partnership Government” was published. The document sets out the programme for government agreed between Fine Gael, the Independent Alliance and some Independent TDs.

Here is the Executive Summary of the document.

A New Partnership Government is ready to embrace the opportunity presented by the Irish electorate on 26 February 2016. Our ambition is to combine all our different talents to build a strong economy and to deliver a fair society, so that communities thrive, throughout both urban and rural Ireland. We are committed to tackling the most pressing challenges Ireland faces, in areas such as housing and health, while continuing to focus on increasing employment across the country. We will work closely with the Oireachtas, in recognition of the new political reality, to deliver in the interests of all of our people. For each policy challenge that the new Government prioritises, a clear unambiguous high level ambition will be attached to it to ensure clarity of purpose and ensure clarity of measurement is visible for all stakeholders.

Examples include:

– Meet the target of building 25,000 new homes needed every year by 2020

– Create 200,000 jobs by 2020, including 135,000 outside Dublin

– Spend at least €6.75billion more on public services by 2021 compared to 2016

– Reduce the percentage of patients waiting longer than six hours in emergency departments from 32% currently to less than 7% by 2021, and reduce average Patient Experience Times for patients attending emergency departments and average waiting times for appointments, procedures and diagnostic tests across the health service

For every challenge, the new Government will ensure that a balance is struck between addressing urgent priorities and engaging in long-term planning and thinking, so that lasting solutions with broad based support are implemented.

Ending the Housing Shortage and Homelessness

Our approach to governing will be clearly seen in how we address the issues of housing and homelessness. Our ambitious policy agenda will deal with the shortage of new homes and increase housing construction to create a functioning housing market. We also want to keep families in their homes and avoid repossessions, where possible. To achieve this we will strengthen the existing mortgage arrears framework in a number of significant ways. At the same time we recognise that it is not acceptable in 2016 to have families living in unsuitable emergency accommodation or to have people sleeping rough on our streets. The actions of the New Partnership Government will work to end the homelessness crisis. Creating a Social Economy We recognise that economic and social progress go hand in hand. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can pay for the services needed to create a fair society. The New Partnership Government is committed to a “Social Economy” model to deliver a strong economy and a fair society. This “Social Economy” will be built on four foundations:

(1) Sound Public Finances and a Stable and Broad Tax Base

(2) A Supportive Environment for Enterprise and Employment

(3) More Investment in Economic, Regional and Social Infrastructure

(4) A Just and Fair Society and a More Inclusive Prosperity

Rural Development and Urban Regeneration

We also recognise that as the economy recovers it is essential that the new Government, together with the Oireachtas, puts in place measures to revitalise all of Ireland so that the benefits are felt inside every doorstep and in every community. To help drive this, we will support a new Cabinet level Minister and Department of [Regional Development and Rural Affairs] to provide greater political coordination and prioritisation of the work in other Departments in relevant areas that impact on rural Ireland.

At the same time, we also recognise that targeted investment is needed to regenerate our urban centres. As part of this, we are committed to the sustainment and reform of key programmes and improving the quality of life and opportunities for all sections of the population, especially our younger and older people in the most disadvantaged communities.

Health

Budgets 2015 and 2016 increased the Health budget and it is our intention to work with the Oireachtas to sustain these increases. Efforts to increase access to safe, timely care, as close to patients’ homes as possible will be a priority. As part of this, we will focus on developing an enhanced primary care system, and guaranteeing the future sustainability of GP practices in rural Ireland and in disadvantaged urban areas. We will also make a number of key public health interventions, such as implementing a national obesity plan, building capacity in our emergency services, improving waiting times and reforming the HSE into a more efficient and transparent health service.

We also recognise that the stigma associated with mental health remains and will require a wider and more concerted effort across all aspects of society, not just focussed upon our health services. There is a clear consensus that the education system - at primary and secondary level in particular - is the key to greater awareness, to cultural change, to prevention and to early intervention for the next generation. It is also clear that access and availability of both early intervention services as well as aftercare and recovery following an incident need to be developed.

Improving the Lives of People with Disabilities

As part of our commitment to equality of opportunity, we will support people with disabilities in maximising their potential, by removing barriers which impact on access to services, education, work or healthcare. A particular focus will be placed on supports at key transition points - going to school, progressing to further training or education, commencing employment, or moving into a new home. In recognition that personalised budgets provide an individual with more control in accessing services, giving them greater independence and choice, we will devolve budgets to the person so they may shop beyond traditional service providers to better fit their needs.

Children

This same commitment will be at the core of our focus when it comes to children, and we will target investment at crucial areas such as the early years to give all children the best possible start in life. As part of this focus, we will establish a dedicated Prevention and Early Intervention Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform/Finance. It will focus on early intervention policies that can improve the life outcomes of children.

No child should be left behind in the economic recovery and we should use our strengthening economy to become a leader in the provision of world-class education and skills. We will put a specific focus on early years by, amongst other measures, reducing the pupil-teacher ratio for junior and senior infants and providing smaller classes, which have the greatest beneficial impact on younger pupils.

Working to Make our Older Years Better Years

Our oldest citizens must also be supported, and their diverse needs catered for, with a specific focus on enabling people to live independent and active lives in their communities. To achieve this we will increase the State Pension and improve home care. At the same time, we will also invest in residential care and support in rural and urban regions, so that those in need of it are fully supported.

Crime Prevention, Justice & Equality

We will prioritise the prevention and reduction of crime, by providing investment in An Garda Síochána, creating a more efficient legal system and implementing a tougher sentencing approach for offenders. We will increase Garda numbers to 15,000, invest in CCTV and review the boundaries of Garda districts. Maintaining and strengthening close relations between all communities and the Gardaí will be central to delivering our policing objectives. Working with local communities, we will set priorities to tackle crime and ensure our cities, villages and towns remain safe places in which to live.

We will develop the process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights. We will also develop a new Integrated Framework for Social Inclusion, which will outline measures to help eliminate any persisting discrimination on grounds of gender, age, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, race, disability, religion or membership of the Traveller Community.

Agriculture

We will pay particular attention to the development of the Agriculture and Food sector. Agriculture is the heartbeat of the rural economy and schemes must be tailored to meet the challenges of farming on all types of land, across all sectors and on all sizes of farm holdings. The next generation of farmers must be supported and Ireland positioned as the highest quality food producing nation in the world, based on innovation and sustainability.

Climate Change

We will shape the long-term direction of Irish environmental policy that will chart the course towards our low carbon future. The new Government and the Oireachtas will agree Ireland’s first statutory National Low Carbon Transition and Mitigation Plan.

We want Ireland’s image as the green island to inform all areas of policy so that the global image of our country is transformed and we are recognised as one of the cleanest and safest environments in the world. To achieve these ambitious goals, all State bodies will need to engage positively with local communities, both early and often, to manage the transition to a low carbon future.

Political & Constitutional Reform

The new political landscape in Ireland presents a historic opportunity to radically reform Irish politics - to fundamentally change the relationship between Government and the Oireachtas, and with it the relationship between the Irish people and their parliament.

We want to be part of this change; not only to shape it but also to help drive it. We are proposing substantive political and constitutional reform in order to create a strong and responsive political system. Greater openness, improved accountability and delivery, and more effective public participation are at the core of our vision.

We recognise that in the 32nd Dáil, the challenge of change will not fall to any one party, nor will it be the responsibility of the Government alone. Achieving political and constitutional reform will be the responsibility of every member elected to Dáil Éireann. Reform will require constant pursuit throughout the lifetime of the next parliament.

Through all of our efforts we will be guided by a unifying goal; to work together in the interests of all of our people, to deliver a fair society. We recognise that we do not have a monopoly on good ideas. We are open to good ideas from any quarter. We readily acknowledge that we will have to work with others to achieve our shared ambitions. We will listen, we will learn and we will act.

The full "Programme for a Partnership Government" is available on the Government's official website.