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Fine Gael pledges fairer taxes, health reform as part of GE2020 manifesto

Fine Gael has launched the party's election manifesto. It promises to raise the point at which pe...
Newstalk
Newstalk

15.29 24 Jan 2020


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Fine Gael pledges fairer taxes...

Fine Gael pledges fairer taxes, health reform as part of GE2020 manifesto

Newstalk
Newstalk

15.29 24 Jan 2020


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Fine Gael has launched the party's election manifesto.

It promises to raise the point at which people pay the higher rate of tax to €50,000.

Free GP care for under-18s, a transitional payment for older people until they reach pension are and the recruitment of 700 Gardaí a year over the next five years also feature.

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On health, Fine Gael says it will increase to current health funding of €5bn and recruit 5,000 nurses over the next five years.

It would also see an expansion of help-to-buy scheme "to help more people buy their first home."

The party has also pledged to increase the State pension by €25 a week over the next five years.

On climate change, it says there will be a focus on "more and better public transport" - as well as a regional development and sustained investment in rural Ireland.

It is also moving to extend parental leave by a further seven weeks.

The party says this means that, in 2025, parents will each have an entitlement to nine weeks of paid parental leave in the first year of their child's life.

While a proposal would allow for directly elected mayors in all counties.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says the tax cuts he is promising will make a real difference.

"Actually if people vote for other parties, they're going to pay more tax in real terms - at least as the ESRI measures these things - because more and more people will find themselves paying that top tax rate as the years go ahead.

"So this is very much a policy for the many, not for the few - maybe a million people will benefit from this".

He added: "Our economy has never been stronger. There are more people at work than ever before, incomes are rising, poverty is falling and the public finances are back in order.

"We have a deal on Brexit that ensures no hard border, citizens' rights will be protected and the Common Travel Area will remain in place. The Northern Ireland assembly and executive have reconvened.

"However, it's not enough. Brexit is not done yet. It's only half-time.

"The next step is to negotiate a free trade agreement between the EU, including Ireland, and the United Kingdom that protects our jobs, our businesses, our rural and coastal communities, and our economy."

Read the full manifesto here


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Fairer Taxes Fine Gael Fine Gael Manifesto GE2020 GE2020 Manifesto Health Reform Help To Buy Scheme Leo Varadkar Manifesto Public Transport Regional Development

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