Fixing the Country for a Better Future

Why you Elected Us

Fianna Fáil wants you to forget what they did in Government:

We are now within sight of exiting the Troika Bailout. Fianna Fáil asked you to trust them on what they called “the cheapest bailout in the world”. So far it has cost Ireland more than €60 billion.

Fianna Fáil nationalised Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide, costing the taxpayer billions. We have closed them down.

Fine Gael in Government has maintained core social welfare rates, which Fianna Fáil cut twice. Fine Gael in Government restored the minimum wage that Fianna Fáil cut, and we have taken 330,000 low paid workers out of the tax net – after Fianna Fáil dragged them in, in 2009-2010.

Fine Gael in Government protected the blind pension, the widow’s pension and the carer’s allowance; Fianna Fáil cut each of these payments by €850 per year.

Fianna Fáil signed the deal with the Troika to bring in the property tax. Now they are cynically opposing it.

Under Fianna Fáil’s projections, the Garda budget would have been cut by almost €200 million more over the last two years, and there would be fewer Gardaí on the beat.

In 14 years of Government, Fianna Fáil increased the public pay bill by 196%, and the Taoiseach’s salary was higher than the American President’s.
 

Why We Are Different

Creating Jobs, Political Reform and Public Sector Reform.

Creating Jobs, Political Reform and Public Sector Reform.

JOBS

Under Fine Gael: The number of people at work grew in 2012, for the first time in four years
Under Fianna Fáil: 250,000 private sector jobs lost during their last three years in government

ECONOMY

Under Fine Gael: Modest growth in the economy for two consecutive years
Under Fianna Fáil: Economy shrunk by over 8% 2007-2010

HEALTH

Under Fine Gael: Numbers waiting on hospital trolleys cut by 33% 2011-2013
Under Fianna Fáil: Trolley numbers increased by 49% 2007-2010

PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Under Fine Gael :€2.5 billion saved from the public pay and pensions bill. Streamlined public sector
Under Fianna Fáil: 1997-2009, public sector pay bill increased by 196%

FARM INCOMES

Under Fine Gael: Aggregate farm income increased by 15% in the last 2 years
Under Fianna Fáil: 1997-2010, aggregate farm incomes fell by 17%

TOURISM

Under Fine Gael: 2011-2012, the number of visitors to Ireland rose by around 500,000
 Under Fianna Fáil: 2009-2011 numbers visiting Ireland fell by 1.8 million

POLITICAL REFORM

Under Fine Gael: Current Taoiseach’s salary is 35% lower than under Fianna Fáil. Ministers’ salaries 20% lower than peak under Fianna Fáil. Ministerial cars abolished
Under Fianna Fáil:1997-2009, the Taoiseach’s salary rose by 105% and Ministers’ salaries rose by 94%

Making a Difference in Government

Getting the country back to work is our number one priority.

Getting the country back to work is our number one priority.

Fine Gael in Government Has:

Fine Gael in government has:

  • Kept our promise to not raise income tax rates, because a tax on income is a tax on jobs – and work and jobs are our main priorities.
  • Defended our corporation tax – which is crucial for attracting jobs and investment from abroad.
  • Restored our international reputation. This has helped bring major job announcements by companies like Paypal, eBay, Google, Mylan, Eli Lilly, Cisco, IBM, Amgen, HP, Kerry Group and Irish Pharmaceutical.
  • Invested €2.5 billion in job creation efforts, and put in place The Action Plan for Jobs, that will cut costs, encourage innovation and support employment.
  • Protected lower paid workers, by reversing the minimum wage cut, and taken 330,000 people out of the Universal Social Charge net.
  • Developed existing trade relationships with our EU trading partners and the US, while building new ones with vibrant economies like China.

The Five Point Plan

You elected us to implement our five point plan. How are we doing?

You elected us to implement our five point plan. How are we doing?

JOBS 

  • Two consecutive years of economic growth, after four years of decline under Fianna Fáil
  • First annual increase in employment since 2008, and we’ve pioneered an Action Plan for Jobs, which will help create more sustainable jobs
  • Confidence is returning, with foreign direct investment at a 10 year high

FAIRER BUDGET

  •  Renegotiated some of Ireland’s bailout loans, saving taxpayers more than €9 billion
  • We closed down Anglo and INBS, and the Promissory Notes are gone forever. This will cut €20 billion from Ireland’s borrowing for the next ten years
  • We are now on course to exit the bailout this yearWe are also on target to reduce the budget deficit to 3% of GDP by 2015

SMALLER BETTER GOVERNMENT

  • €2.5 billion saved from public pay and pensions bill
  • Public sector will be down 24,000 from its peak by 2015
  • We have committed to reducing the number of TDs at the next election, and the number of Councillors by a third

 BETTER HEALTH

  •  33% fewer people on trolleys in hospital A&E departments, compared to January 2011
  • 98% fewer people waiting year on year, for in-patient and day case surgery
  • Reforming the system so people are treated based on need, rather than how much money they have
  • Comprehensive Hospital Grouping Plan, which will revolutionise the delivery of healthcare and patient outcomes in Ireland. A Small Hospitals plan that guarantees a future for all hospitals

NEW POLITICS

  • We have cut politician's pay and expenses and increased the number of Dáil sitting days by 30%
  • Gender quotas will bring more women into Irish politics.
  • The Constitutonal Convention is giving citizens a direct vote