In the Programme for Government published in mid-June and debated by the three negotiating parties, the Green Party, Fianna Fail, and Fine Gael, there are twelve parts or missions as follows:
- Mission: A Better Quality of Life for All
- Mission: Reigniting and Renewing the Economy
- Mission: A Green New Deal
- Mission: Universal Healthcare
- Mission: Housing for All
- Mission: Balanced Regional Development
- Mission: A New Social Contract
- Mission: Building Stronger and Safer Communities
- Mission: Better opportunities through Education and Research
- Mission: A Shared Island
- Mission: At the Heart of Europe and Global Citizenship
- Mission: Reforming and Reimagining our Public Life
In the opening section they note “This is a Programme to recover our economy, rebuild our society, renew our communities, and respond to the challenges we face both nationally and internationally. This will be a Government of enterprise, creating new jobs, preparing for the jobs of the future, driving our economic recovery, and improving the quality of life for all our people.” (p3)
On the next page they say “the Government will use wellbeing indicators as well as economic indicators to point out inequalities and help ensure that policies are driven by a desire to do better by people.”
Under the heading ‘A Jobs-led Recovery’ it says “Our aim is to create 200,000 new jobs by 2025 as well as helping people currently unemployed due to COVID-19 back to work. This will require a concerted focus on SMEs, large companies and the self-employed.”
On page 14 they describe the three elements of the Recovery Fund: infrastructure development; reskilling and retraining; and supporting investment. And note that amongst the ‘Immediate Actions’ and as part of their ‘July Stimulus’ they will:
- Set out a pathway for the future implementation of the Temporary Wage Subsidy.
- Set out the future distribution of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment based on the principles of fairness and equity.
- Commence a high-level review of the Irish economy led by the Department of the Taoiseach to identify the sectors, which have the greatest opportunity to grow and sustain quality employment in light of the continuing public health crisis, resulting geo-political trends, as well as the long-term challenges of the climate crisis, technological disruption and future public health challenges.
Amongst the parameters they say will guide the ‘National Economic Plan’ are:
- Support for those who have lost their jobs to return to employment as quickly as possible.
- Promoting a major reskilling programme to enable those who have lost their jobs to develop existing and new skills to match with enterprise need.
- Ensuring that the employment opportunities created are sustainable and part of our national move to a low-carbon future.
- Improving the quality and security of jobs and work-life balance.
- Innovation in our workplaces through digitalisation, remote and flexible work practices. (p17)
On page 18 it states, but does not elaborate on: “Put in place strong and varied labour market activation programmes.” Further on it says “Use the Human Capital initiative to deliver a wide range of education and training programmes for jobseekers in tertiary education, including fast turnaround specific skills training, conversion courses into areas of skills shortage and emerging technology.”
On page 19, under NEP – Enterprise policy they say “COVID-19 highlights the need to make a deliberate policy shift to increase both quality jobs that will allow for better living standards and sustainable jobs, which will be less vulnerable to loss.”
Later on in the document they note “We will establish a Commission on Welfare and Taxation to independently consider how best the tax system can support economic activity and promote increased employment and prosperity while ensuring that there are sufficient resources available to meet the costs of the public services and supports in the medium and longer term.” (p24)
On page 61, as part of ‘Housing for All’ they say they will “Ensure Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) levels are adequate to support vulnerable households while we increase the supply of social housing.” And later on they say they will “Develop a cost rental model for the delivery of housing that creates affordability for tenants and a sustainable model for the construction and management of homes.” And “We will reduce our reliance on the use of HAP for new social housing solutions as the supply of social and public housing increases.” (p63)
Under the Mission: Balanced Regional Development they state “We have a vision of a vibrant, inclusive and thriving Ireland where no one is left behind.” (p67) They also commit to publishing and implementing a new Rural Policy, building on the Action Plan for Rural Development. On page 68 they say they will prioritise “a state-led Rural Development Programme to bridge the gap between the wind-up of the existing LEADER Programme and implementation of the new Programme” and “national and local government support to pursue extra EU funding opportunities through Community Led Local Development”.
Later on they note they will “Further integrate Local Link services with other existing public transport services (e.g. the National Transport Authority) and build on exemplar models of integrated rural transport, improve connectivity and access for rural dwellers to work, study, social activities and public services while reducing car dependence.”
Under the Mission: A New Social Contract they say they will:
- Protect core weekly social welfare rates.
- Recognise the importance of ancillary benefits and eligibility criteria to vulnerable groups.
- As the economy recovers and employment grows, request the Commission on Welfare and Taxation to examine what changes can be made to employer and employee PRSI to improve existing benefits and provide additional.
- Progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government.
- Improve jobseeker supports for people aged under 24 over the lifetime of the Government.
- Increase availability of activation schemes including those run by local employment services. (p85)
Under the theme ‘Anti-poverty and social inclusion measures’ they note “we must build upon the unity, which was fundamental in our response, to improve outcomes for those who are struggling on low incomes, struggling with caring responsibilities, or having to raise their families alone and those who are living with a disability.” Further on they say they will “Request the Low Pay Commission to examine Universal Basic Income, informed by a review of previous international pilots, and resulting in a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government.” (p86)
Under the theme of ‘Equality’ they note that “Equality between all citizens is a core guiding principle of our republic.” (p87) And on page 89 they say “We will examine the introduction of a new ground of discrimination based on socio-economic disadvantaged status to the Employment Equality and Equal Status Acts.”
Under the Mission: Building Stronger and Safer Communities, on page 106 they say “We will initiate a new Anti-Poverty, Social Inclusion and Community Development Action Plan framed around the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, underpinning sound community development practices, and reflecting a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on poverty and social inclusion.” They envisage building on existing policies and programmes, but also note they will “Introduce, on a phased basis, a number of projects similar in approach to Community Development Projects (CDPs)”. (p107)
Under the Mission: Better opportunities through Education and Research they state “It is vital we invest in our Higher and Further Education sectors so we can continue to tackle inequality based on race, gender, and socio-economic background.” (p114) On page 115 they say they will:
- Recognise the role of community education and its vital role in our communities by supporting its schemes and initiatives post COVID-19.
- Enhance back-to-work schemes and initiatives to assist in upskilling those who are seeking new employment opportunities after the crisis.
- Develop and implement a standardised system of accreditation of prior learning taking account of previous education, skills, work experience and engagement in society.
- Review the Back to Education Allowance to ensure it is able to support those unemployed as a result of COVID-19 to access education and training.
- Expand Springboard throughout Further and Higher Education, offering upskilling in areas of skills shortages to those who want to upskill, to those who are re-entering the workforce or to those who have been made redundant.
And finally on page 118 they say they will “Develop and implement a new 10-year strategy for adult literacy, numeracy and digital skills within the first year of the government.”