It’s election week, and as the clock runs down for those seeking election across the country, the main political parties have released their Manifestos outlining their plans for the next five years.
Among them is new party Independent Ireland, formed by Independent TDs Michael Collins and Richard O’Donoghue in November 2023. The party, which is led by Deputy Michael Collins in the Dáil, now has three elected TDs, including Michael Fitzmaurice, along with one member of the European Parliament – Ciaran Mullooly – who won a seat in the European elections in June.
It now has a total of 23 elected councillors across the country, including 12 new councillors elected in the local elections last June. The party is running 22 candidates for the general election.
The party, in its bid to gain more elected TDs, says its manifesto is based on “putting people first.” The manifesto, launched on Friday at the Athlone Springs Hotel, outlines key policies on housing, cost of living, immigration, agriculture and marine, health, and the environment. Its manifesto, it says, provides “common sense solutions for a better Ireland,” and will ensure “real change.”
Key policies outlined in the document include declaring a housing emergency, introducing €1 billion worth of additional supports for agriculture, and freezing “regressive” green taxes.
The manifesto also focuses heavily on immigration, with Independent Ireland vowing to end private accommodation reimbursement for all IPAS applicants. It also says it will impose VAT to the contracts of hotels accommodating IPAS applicants to stop incentivising damage to tourism; and will introduce a mandatory six-month course on Irish history and culture for those coming to Ireland, who must pass an exam, provided in English and Irish only.
“We will freeze green taxes which are regressive and impact lower and middle income families the most. We will address the profiteering by private companies making hundreds of millions from the asylum industry,” the party outlines.
“We will reform the procurement process across government sectors to improve efficiency and cut waste. We will complete an immediate forensic review and reform of the NGO sector which estimates suggest, cost the taxpayer in excess of €7 Billion Per Year (over €6,000 per household).”
HOUSING
On housing, a hot button issue this election, Independent Ireland says it will implement urgent planning reform, emergency modular homes schemes and bring an end to families living in emergency accommodation.
The party says the only way to address the housing crisis is to adopt a “comprehensive plan that increases housing supply, reduces costs, and improves access,” and to accomplish this, “we must incentivise new construction and spur property development.”
“The current Government has created an entire generation of people who will never achieve homeownership, unless we enact reforms now,” it says.
Independent Ireland says it will declare a housing emergency to expeditiously implement solutions to the housing crisis; Incentivise vacant property development: Increase housing stock by Introducing tax incentives for property owners to renovate and rent or sell vacant properties; and for those who change property usage to create accommodation.
It also says it will seek to achieve affordable rents for tenants by making tax-free all rents lower than €1,000; and extend the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) to all landlords (not just those renting to Ukrainian refugees), and increase the allowable amount to €1,000 from €800.
“This will reduce inflationary pressure, deflate rent prices, and reduce government expenditure in Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) and other schemes; It will also be profitable for landlords, ensuring their participation;
“The Government would receive less in tax but spend less in HAP and other schemes; Increase landlord participation in the revised ARP scheme by making it voluntary and permitting landlords to opt-out, should their tenants move out; This would prevent landlords from being “locked-in” to Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) rates; the fear of which would prevent their participation in a revised ARP scheme.”
It also wants toIncrease infrastructure funding for community and social housing to an additional €600 Million Per Year; Increase infrastructure funding for community and social housing: Allocate more funds to build and maintain sewage, water, and internet to allow construction of community and social housing throughout the country, which will provide affordable housing and reduce homelessness.
Regarding emergency housing, the party says it will promote modular, prefabricated, and log cabin housing: Encourage the use of modular, prefabricated, and log cabin construction methods to reduce building time and costs, increasing the supply of affordable housing more quickly.
It also wants to allow downsizing senior citizens to remain near their families and retain their independence by doubling the size of rear extensions (in areas with insufficient infrastructure and community housing); Refurbish derelict state-owned properties and properties under state stewardship to provide sustainable accommodation to homeless families and children in their local communities.
The party calls for comprehensive planning reform, saying that it will streamline planning permission by simplifying and expeditating the planning process for residential developments to reduce bureaucratic delays and encourage faster construction of new homes. It also promises to simplify rural planning by reforming planning guidelines to simplify permissions for one- off family homes in rural areas;
It says it will require that all pre-planning be done in person: Empower councils to allow families to build on land they own where they meet criteria for environment and safe access, including on to regional roads. Its housing policy also calls for the reform of planning framework – the process should be bottom-up: Local development plan feeds into county development plan, and subsequently into the national planning framework, not the other way around.
The manifesto also says that IPAS centres will be obliged to follow the same planning regulations as every other entity in the country and allow opponents to file objections with the planning office.
COST OF LIVING
Outlining how it plans to tackle the cost of living crisis, Independent Ireland says it wants to freeze and reform the Carbon Tax, end the Property Tax and USC for over 65s and deliver cheaper energy by securing Ireland’s energy independence.
Independent Ireland writes: “The cost-of-living crisis is caused by two things: economic factors outside the Government’s control, such as inflation; and factors within the Government’s control, such as taxation. When pressed on how it will handle this crisis, the Government frequently points to things outside its control to absolve itself from responsibility.
“The Government has ignored those factors within its control, because taking appropriate action can cause a short-term drop in popularity, even if it results in the country’s long-term success. Independent Ireland is more interested in long-term success than popularity.”
The fledgling party has pledged to reducing taxes, rewarding hard work, and cut energy costs, outlining plans to abolish USC & PRSI contributions for pension- aged people who continue to work, and increase tax relief for those contributing to private pensions;
It also says it will freeze all “green taxes” – review the effectiveness of the stated purpose and adjust accordingly. If they are not serving their stated purpose of reducing carbon impact, they are simply taxes, not green taxes;
The manifesto says the party will reduce middle-class taxes by ensuring no one earning less than €50,000 per annum is affected by the highest marginal rate of taxation; reduce VAT to nine percent for tourism and hospitality, excluding accommodation; equalise VAT at nine percent for restaurants and pubs to prevent two-tier taxation; and reform outdated VAT thresholds to promote and protect small business.
It also sets out promises to reduce taxation on overtime to fill staffing shortages and reward hard work; reducing costs, supporting communities, and controlling government spending. It wants to financially support community employment schemes (e.g. CSP, RSS, CE, TUS, HSC etc.); and expand prescription drug payment scheme; expand public transport commuter scheme.
Independent Ireland also pledges to increase funding for early child care to reduce childcare costs; review and reform spending in the NGO sector to reduce government waste; reward NGOs that provide valuable services and value for money and cut funding to those that do not; and support front line workers.
It says it will do this by subsidising rental accommodation for front-line workers (nurses, junior doctors, teachers, gardaí, members of defence forces and fire brigade, etc.) on low wages for a period of up to five years following entry to service. This will be extended to Gardaí who are relocated for up to 24 months following relocation. The cost of living plan also includes introducing a “locality pay” for civil and public servants, to attract skilled civil servants in higher-cost urban settings.
IMMIGRATION
On immigration, the party says it will secure Ireland’s borders “by enforcing our immigration laws and end profiteering by vested interests at the expense of the Irish taxpayer.”
Independent Ireland notes: “Immigration is one of the most pressing issue facing Ireland in 2024. This includes legal immigration, which we support, because we recognise the important role immigrants play in our economy and our society. It also includes illegal immigration, which we strongly oppose.
“We have seen an enormous increase in applications for International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS), or refugee status, during the past two years (many of which are without merit). The Government has done nothing except force these people, many of whom are unskilled economic migrants, into communities that are not equipped to accommodate them.
“Schools are overcrowded, doctor wait times continue to grow, and the school dentist is a distant memory. Illegal immigration has devastated the tourism industry, which has been one of our largest industries for the better half of a half century. Understandably, many Irish citizens oppose the creation of permanent migrant centres in their communities. However, IPAS centres are immune from planning regulations, which legally nullifies resident objections – this needs to change immediately,” it adds.
Opposing illegal immigration
The party says it will oppose illegal Immigration, and will obligate IPAS centres to follow the same planning regulations as every other entity in the country and allow individuals, communities, and businesses to file objections with the relevant planning authority; Require airlines to provide scans of passports presented pre-flight to identify people who destroy or lose their identity documents.
Its immigration policy also involves acquiring the use of secure airport detention facilities for undocumented arrivals and people awaiting deportation; supporting immediate deportation of IPAS applicants convicted of violent or sexual offences; and supporting the automatic refusal of IPAS applicants who have prior serious criminal convictions.
Expediting IPAS Applications and Eliminating Wasteful Spending
The party says it will deport incarcerated foreign nationals immediately after their prison sentence ends; expediate IPAS Applications and eliminate wasteful spending, and expedite IPAS applications to be completed within a defined time frame.
The manifesto says the party will hold special court sittings to address and deal with these cases and hire 300 new case officers.
“We will pay these new salaries with money we save by not providing room and board to 30,000+ new arrivals each year,” it says, outlining plans to expedite the appeal process and complete it within 30/60/180 calendar days.
It adds that it will curtail automatic medical cards to IPAS applicants, ensuring the same criteria is applied to IPAS applicants as is to existing residents.
The in-depth policy also suggests Imposing VAT to the contracts of hotels accommodating IPAS applicants to stop incentivising damage to tourism; ending private accommodation reimbursement altogether for future arrivals and “eliminating the migrant housing industrial complex.”
“Communities that wish to accommodate IPAS centres should be empowered to do so on a not-for-profit basis and should be supported and funded by the state for the buying and doing up of unused properties,” it notes, stating that this model “would create greater community buy-in and the community would benefit from funds generated.”
“This will stop the overinflated state system,” the party says, pledging to implement a requirement that permanent residence permit applicants “must take a six-month course on Irish history and culture and pass an exam, provided in English and Irish only.”
It also suggests allowing for revocation of naturalised citizenship in cases where a naturalised citizen is convicted of serious violent or sexual crimes.
Improving Legal Immigration
Independent Ireland says it will work to “impose strict background checks on all visa applicants,” and will streamline all work visa applications and expedite allowing legal immigrants to work. It also wants to reduce “bureaucratic hurdles for small and medium enterprises hiring legal immigrants,” and to allow legal immigrants with a tax number to work upon arrival in order to meet the human resource requirements of the Irish economy. It vows to “ensure businesses demonstrate jobs cannot be filled by non-EEA workers and are sustainable,” and that there are “strict consequences for employers who abuse the system.”
The manifesto summarises: “The Government’s inaction on this issue demands a drastic correction, lest the situation deteriorate further. We must remove the incentives drawing economic migrants to Ireland; otherwise, they will keep coming and for every person we turn around, another will arrive. Ultimately, these are the steps we must take if we are to care for Irish people, legal immigrants, and genuine refugees already present in Ireland.”
AGRICULTURE AND MARINE
Tackling agriculture and marine, the party says: “We fully support farmers and fishermen by protecting them from EU regulations and unattainable targets. We will deliver a better deal for farmers by ending the dominance of food processors in agriculture.”
“Farming and fishing form the backbone of the rural economy, and Independent Ireland will fight to protect these industries,” the manifesto says.
“Our Government unjustly blames farmers for climate change and regularly changes priorities, making it impossible for farmers to plan strategically. Our policies are clear: we will advance policies that expand farming and fishing; and we will oppose any effort to restrict these industries.”
Its key policy positions include: Opposing any mandatory cull of the national herd; Opposing the Mercosur Trade deal; Introducing a specific Minister for fisheries responsible for maritime issues, and management of Ireland’s territorial waters; Ensuring no farmer will be forced to re-wet their lands or be affected by adjoining holdings undertaking re-wetting, under the Nature Restoration Laws.
Independent Ireland says it will: Introduce a yellow-card scheme for farm inspections and implement 21-day notice before farm inspections (excluding animal welfare checks); Remove carbon tax on marked gas oil sold to the agricultural sector including agricultural contractors; Establish a financial safety net for farmers and fishermen or fisherwomen hit by unforeseeable challenges; Provide funding for harbour development to accommodate small and large fishing vessels, as well as tourism operators.
It adds that it will provide for a farm retirement scheme with a proposed budget of €300 million to facilitate the transfer of 20,000 to 30,000 farms to younger farmers; as well as creating a fund to help farmers and fishermen/fisherwomen adopt technological advances to improve efficiency.It plans to create a €200 million rainy fund for all agricultural sectors to protect farmers in the case of serious adverse weather or emergencies affecting crops; and implement taxation and zoning benefits for areas that lose historically rural industries;
The party says it wants to support young farmers through innovative lease-to-buy schemes including strategic low-interest and longer- term loans are available to active farmers; An extension of the young farmer scheme and an alignment of the young farmer’s scheme in relation to stamp duty and entitlements, as stamp duty is at age 35 and entitlements are 40. Both should be brought to age 40.
The plan involves introducing grants for women farmers and streamline applications; Forgotten Farmers: Rectify Government mistakes over the past 15 years by consistent funding and support and address the needs of “Forgotten Farmers” to ensure no farmer is left behind.
It adds that it will increase support for precise scientific analysis of land and maximize potential for carbon credit trading.
nt Agency for fair land distribution;
It also says it will “protect the right of individuals to cut turf, in keeping with the heritage and traditions of rural regions.”
Fisheries
The party says it will, fight to increase the quota for Irish fishing vessels, along with re-negotiating the use of Irish territorial waters for Irish fishermen & fisherwomen. It also wants to create a specific responsible for maritime issues, and management of Ireland’s territorial waters; expand investment in deep-sea ports countrywide to reduce crowding in Dublin and limit environmental impact; and implement existing EU fuel rebates for fishermen/fisherwomen.
Independent Ireland promises that it will oppose any reduction in derogation level and support farmers with water quality challenges. It outlines a VAT reimbursement for dairy farmers on fixed milk tanks, calf feeders and mobile or fixed slurry cleaning equipment;
HEALTH
Health is also a priority for the party, with its manifesto stating: “We will deliver urgent changes to mental health services with early intervention and respite programmes. Through limited public-private partnerships, we will significantly reduce waiting lists.”
The manifesto outlines: “Ireland’s healthcare system is increasingly unable to meet demand and Irish citizens frequently wait months or years for necessary procedures. Hospital beds are chronically in short supply and primary care staff are overwhelmed by their workload. The bottom line is we need more doctors, nurses, and hospitals. This means we need more funding and competent management of the HSE to ensure that funding is well spent.”
The party says it will confront this through addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals, supporting young people and carers, addressing the hospital bed shortage, reforming medical card issuance, and addressing the implementing “effective oversight” of the healthcare system. It also vows to modernise mental health and eldercare services.
ENVIRONMENT
In its approach to the environment, Independent Ireland says that it “will reduce the climate burden on the Irish taxpayer,” adding: “We support a fair and just transition that is pro-people, pro-business, and pro-environment but also grounded in common sense and practical solutions.”
“We will freeze green taxes which are regressive and impact lower and middle income families the most. We will address the profiteering by private companies making hundreds of millions from the asylum industry.
“We will reform the procurement process across government sectors to improve efficiency and cut waste. We will complete an immediate forensic review and reform of the NGO sector which estimates suggest, cost the taxpayer in excess of €7 Billion Per Year (over €6,000 per household),” the manifesto states.
The party says that while it recognises “the importance of stewardship of our natural environment,” it emphasises that “we must do so in a responsible manner,” and that “our small country of five million people cannot fix the world’s problems, and we should resist the temptation to destroy our own economy to temporarily outshine other countries.”
Policies include freezing and reviewing all fuel excise taxes; issuing a VAT rebate on insulation to encourage improving energy efficiency; providing grants for increasing the energy efficiency of residences, businesses, farms, and community enterprises.
The party also wants to expand use of floating gas terminals to provide a clean, reliable energy source; reversing “harmful policies that put unfair constraints on farmers and fishermen/fisherwomen.”
It says it will “abandon the unachievable and destructive “net-zero” agenda and adopt a common- sense approach that protects our economy and environment together instead of sacrificing one for the other.”
Independent Ireland says it will support clean air and water initiatives; reduce VAT on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to help meet climate targets and ease people’s transition to more environmentally friendly fuels; protect low- and middle-income earners from bearing a disproportionate cost in the advancement of climate action plans and rural-proof all Government policies in this regard.
LAW AND ORDER
On law and order, Independent Ireland says: “All too often we hear of violent criminals and criminals guilty of sexual or violent offences receiving suspended sentences and walking free. These light sentences often precede the guilty party committing additional crimes, and causing tragedies that should have been avoidable.
“While it is easy to blame the judge involved, the fact is that Ireland has weak sentencing laws that must be reformed. Gardai are leaving the force in record numbers and we must address the retention crisis within An Garda Siochana, while also incentivising new recruitment.”
The party has pledged to get “tough on crime,” while promising to protect free speech.
It says it will oppose any hate-speech legislation; Implement stricter sentencing guidelines for serious violent and sexual crimes, and introduction of legislation that prohibits suspended sentences for such crimes; and prohibit sex offenders from legally changing their name to avoid detection in the future.
Independent Ireland says it will review Sex Offender Registry to ensure it is fit for purpose.
The party also says it will obligate Gardai to notify children services and school administrators of registered child sex offenders in their area; support immediate deportation of IPAS applicants who are convicted of violent or sexual offences; and support automatic refusal of applications for IPAS from applicants who have prior criminal convictions.
Read the Manifesto document in full here.