What next for Fine Gael – the prologue

Michael D Higgins has been very dignified throughout the campaign.
Many FG voters that I know voted for him and were happy to do so.

For Gay Mitchell, all I can say is I’m sorry for him. I know I have been there.

What is the message for Fine Gael. Firstly, I think that respecting the Presidency as a transendant office would be a good start.
Secondly, the last election result was a reflection of the public betrayal and obvious lack of competence of Fianna Fail. They just had to go and someone had to fill the gap.

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Garret RIP Great Man

I am very sad at the death of Garret FitzGerald, a true Irish icon. I think that Garret is the greatest public figure here since 1960.

The tributes, stories reminiscences on the radio and television from blasts from the past like Gemma Hussey, Barry Desmond, Shane Kenny, Peter Prendergast, Dick Spring were riveting to me. I well remember all the anecdotes told and loved hearing them again. In a week where Enda conducted his role as Taoiseach with great dignity, I thought Michael Martin, Eamonn Gilmore, and Shane Ross were excellent in Dail Eireann. Enda Kenny spoke in a very dignified manner for those in Fine Gael and the replay of Garret’s 80th birthday interview with John Bowman on RTE was brilliant. Alan Dukes was tinder dry and on Prime Time, John Bruton was emotional with Miriam O’Callaghan.

What made Garret phenomenal was the continuance of his public life in the media right up to his final illness.

I offer my condolences to his extended family and to all those who were and are his friends

Canvassing Turnapin near the Airport

Mary Early, Billy McDonald canvass Turnapin in Fingal on 22 February

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Job Creation Bill

Noonan Announces Plan for ‘Jobs Creation Bill’ in 1st 100 Days if FG Elected to Govt

At the launch of the YFG Youth Manifesto, ‘Let’s Get Young Ireland Working’, Fine Gael’s Finance Spokesman, Michael Noonan announced details of his Party’s plans to hold a ‘Jobs Creation Bill’ within 100 days if elected to office on the 25th of February.

“If we get elected to Government on February 25th, we want to start implementing the jobs plan element of our 5 Point Plan straight away.

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Young Fine Gael Manifesto – Eric Keane’s finest hour!

Third Level Fees – Fine Gael – 33% of course cost

The Fine Gael position on third level funding is as follows:

• A deferred contribution from students, payable upon graduation when they reach a defined income threshold.
• The total contribution will be a third of the cost of their course (this could be in the region of €11,000 for an Arts degree)
• This will be paid by new entrants to publicly funded third level institutions when the new funding model is introduced.
• We will not increase the student registration fee further. Instead, we will pursue greater pay and non-pay efficiencies in the third level system through greater flexibility in working arrangements, in line with the Croke Park Agreement.
• As the student contribution model begins to return funds to the third level sector, we will phase out the student registration fee as an upfront charge.
• In the intervening period, we will establish a subsidised loan system for students and their families that are struggling to pay the student registration fee.
• Fine Gael has proposed a new system for administering grants; through the Payments and Entitlements Service – this will deliver grants quicker and more efficiently to students.

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State Pensions

Pensions and pensioners to be protected under FG – Byrne
Old Age Pension Will Not Be Touched
A Fine Gael Government will protect pensions and pensioners and focus on the needs of older citizens according to Fine Gael Spokesperson on Older Citizens, Catherine Byrne today (Tuesday).
“Ireland’s older citizens need to know that their well-being and their interests will be protected and that is why, if elected to Government, Fine Gael is committed to supporting their interests, ensuring that they are treated fairly and looked after to a high standard.
“First and foremost, Fine Gael will protect pensions. Older people need to know their incomes will be safeguarded and, if elected to Government, Fine Gael will not cut the Old Age Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension.
“Alongside this, Fine Gael will prioritise the needs of older citizens by:
• Completing and implementing the National Positive Ageing Strategy so that older people are recognised, supported and enabled to live independent full lives;
• Tackling fuel poverty by producing a national strategy to address energy costs, maintaining the Warmer Home Scheme to retrofit low income housing for greater energy efficiency and targeting energy costs;
• Supporting community based health services so that people are supported living in their own home for as long as possible;
• Addressing the anomalies in the Nursing Home Support Scheme.”

Mortgages

Fine Gael will benefit mortgage holders by:

1. Increasing mortgage interest relief to 30% for First Time Buyers in negative equity who bought from 2004 – 2008.
2. Introducing a Deferred Interest Scheme enabling borrowers to pay at least 66% of their mortgage interest for up to five years.
3. Putting a stop to banks penalising mortgage holders who have rescheduled their debt by putting them on a higher cost rate.
4. Introducing a trade down option to produce a reduction in mortgage debt and more affordable monthly payments.
5. Amending legislation to allow people access to their pension funds to service their mortgages.

“Irresponsible lending, facilitated by a Fianna Fail led government, has left people in fear of losing their homes. Fine Gael’s Five Point Plan will ensure that the banks and the government will work for people who are faced with mortgage arrears, and share the burden of negative equity.”

Public Sector and Fine Gael

Fine Gael will protect the frontline, modernise public services and ensure pay is not hit

Labour and Fianna Fáil will hit the pay packets of all workers hard

Fine Gael’s 5 Point Plan will get Ireland Working and will modernise public services, protect the frontline, ensure public sector pay is not hit and support the taxpayer according to Fine Gael’s Bill Tormey.

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Abortion – Fine Gael’s position

Please find below the Fine Gael position on abortion:

Fine Gael is opposed to the legalisation of abortion. Fine Gael will establish an all-party Oireachtas Committee, with access to medical and legal expertise, to consider the implications of the recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights and to make recommendations. Such a process would, we believe, be the best way of examining the issues in a way that respects the range of sincerely-held views on this matter. Fine Gael’s representatives will bring to the proposed all-party committee a clear commitment that women in pregnancy will receive whatever treatments are necessary to safeguard their lives, and that the duty of care to preserve the life of the baby will also be upheld. Fine Gael is opposed to research conducted on human embryos, and favours alternative stem cell research that does not involve human embryos such as adult stem cell and umbilical cord research.