Agreed Programme for Government

Climate Change

• The Government will set a target for this administration of a reduction of 3% per year on average in our greenhouse gas emissions.
• Introduce an additional €100 million of energy efficiency measures predominately attic and wall insulation.
• The Minister for Finance will present an outline Carbon Report (Carbon Budget) in conjunction with the annual financial Budget.
• Appropriate fiscal instruments, including a Carbon Levy, will be phased in on a revenue-neutral basis over the lifetime of this Government.
• Introduce measures to further weight VRT and motor tax in favour of cars with lower emissions.
• Comhar will be established as a body within the National Economic and Social Development Office. Its functions will include monitoring and advising on the effectiveness of policy in achieving the goals of the Climate Change Strategy.

Education

• Commitment to spending an additional €350 million per year on new service developments in education.
• Increase the number of primary teachers by at least 4,000. This will enable us to reduce class sizes. The staffing schedule will be reduced from a general rule of at least one teacher for every 27 pupils in 2007/08, by one point a year, to one for every 24 children by 2010/11.
• Commit to long-term funding for the 12 centres currently in the ABA pilot scheme.
• Ensure that no rezoning of land for residential development can take place without a prior commitment of an appropriate proportion of land for schools.
• Examine the provision of waste and water allowances to schools with charges becoming effective after these are exceeded.
• Prioritise energy efficiency and eco-design in new school buildings
• Ensure that schools help to make our children environmentally aware and include the Green Schools Programme as part of any Whole School Evaluation.
• Expand the number of adult literacy training places by 4000, on top of the extra 3000 places being put in place in 2007.

Energy

• Remove any regulatory barriers to combined heat and power and district heating systems.
• Introduce new national building standards in 2007 to ensure that new housing has 40% lower heat energy demand than existing building standards and revise again in 2010 to achieve a 60% target in further years.
• Facilitate the introduction of net metering to allow consumers to sell electricity back into the grid from any renewable power supplies they have.
• Introduce a specific scheme for offshore islands to incentivise and support the production of island-produced and consumed renewable energy by island co-ops or other island based organisations for community buildings and public lighting.
• Devise a price support scheme to support and encourage investment in the development of wave and tidal power.
• Work with the EU Commission and other national grid operators to develop an offshore wind farm grid connection system to power the rest of Europe.
• Amend the remit of Science Foundation Ireland to include a third research pillar in the area of sustainable energy.

Environmental Protection

• The EPA is now over a decade in existence. It is now timely for a review of the role, procedures and legislation governing it. Following this review, legislation will be enacted to ensure the Agency can meet the environmental challenges that lie ahead.
• Publish comprehensive legislation on Noise Pollution.
• Fully implement the Aarhus Convention.
• Review the levels of fines and sentences which can be applied by the lower Courts in cases of pollution, dumping etc., so that the punishment fits the crime.

Foreign Affairs

• Extraordinary Rendition: The Irish Government is completely opposed to the practice of extraordinary rendition. The Government will prioritise effective enforcement of a) Criminal Justice (United Nations Convention Against Torture) Act, 2000 b) The Geneva Conventions Acts 1962-1998.
  To that end the Government will encourage and support An Garda Siochana in the investigation and enforcement of these Statutes. It will do so by making resources available for specialized training in the provisions of those Statutes to members of An Garda Siochána and by other means as may be required by An Garda Siochana in order to ensure effective protection for the dignity of all persons within or passing through the State. We will ensure that all relevant legal instruments are used so that the practice of extraordinary rendition does not occur in this State in any form.
• Increase ODA to 0.7% of GNP by 2012. The annual Budget statement will contain an outline of the target for the coming year and a report on progress to date.

Agriculture

• Set a target to convert a minimum 5% of acreage to organic farmland by 2012
• Seek to negotiate the establishment of an All-Ireland GM-Free Zone
• Review the Forestry Premium levels and, ensure by 2012 that a minimum of 30% broadleaf will be planted annually

Health

• We will double the income limit eligibility of parents of children under 6 years of age and treble them for parents of children with an intellectual disability under 18 years of age.
• We will ensure greater equality in access and care between private and public patients in the healthcare system and audit same to measure progress.
• We will reform use of beds in hospitals to ensure equity of access

Planning

• Legislation will be brought forward on foot of the recommendations of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution on Property Rights.
• We will ensure that residential areas are geared more towards the needs of children and incorporate sufficient space to safely play, socialise, walk and cycle.

Justice

• Fully implement into Irish law the EU and Council of Europe human rights instruments against trafficking in human beings, and provide supports for the victims of such trafficking.
• Appoint a Minister of State to implement a national integration policy, bringing together key officials from government departments who provide services to immigrants.

Political Reform

• Establish an independent Electoral Commission to take responsibility for electoral administration and oversight.
• We will introduce a directly elected Mayor for Dublin with executive powers by 2011.
• We will reform Local Government making it more transparent and more responsive to its customers. A Green Paper on Local Government Reform will be published within six months of coming into office. This will include a review of expenditure in Local Elections.

Transport

• We will introduce a multi-criteria analysis of all transport projects to take into account environmental factors on a whole project basis.
• Conduct integrated transport and land use plans in the Spatial Strategy hubs immediately taking into account both current and future needs.
• Conduct feasibility studies to be completed in two years into Luas-style light rail transit systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
• We will introduce the need for a National Transport Regulator.
• We will ensure that the traffic blackspot of Claregalway is bypassed in 2012.
• We will extend the Safe Routes Programme, and introduce a National Cycling Route and a Dublin Coast Walk and Cycle Route.