Equality Agenda
■ All of our policies strive to achieve an equality of opportunity for all people in all walks of life and to cherish all people regardless of gender, race, belief, sexual orientation, age, wealth or ability
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Recreational Drug Use
■ Decriminalisation of recreational drug users, in line with the Portuguese model. Drug users would be treated sympathetically within the medical model with access to clean needles, health checkups and advice from medical personnel, access to counselling and rehabilitation programmes. Socially, this would go a long way to preventing backstreet dealership, robberies, health problems etc. We would also seek legislation in favour of the medicinal use of cannabis.
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Corruption & Whistle blowing Protection
■ We would instigate immediate ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Eradication of corruption would be a high priority with severe penalties, including jail, loss of job (without a golden handshake) and loss of all pension entitlements.
■ We would introduce a single law that would protect citizens and employees and allow for fair and transparent follow up of all reports of suspected corruption.
■ To this end Ireland should adopt a generic whistleblower protection law covering whistleblowers in the public, private and non-profit sectors. This law would be similar to the generic UK Public Interest Disclosure Act which runs to a mere nine pages and applies to the entire private and public sectors in the United Kingdom.
■ Amendments should also be made to Health Act whistleblower provisions that remove the “ought to know” clause. This clause means that a healthcare worker may be sentenced to three years imprisonment for innocently making a false claim.
■ The level of awards to whistleblowers that have been subject to reprisal should be of an amount that is “just and equitable in the circumstances”. This is the case under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and Employment Permits Act 2006.
■ Investigate introducing financial rewards for whistleblowers, once the case has been proven, and the possibility of legal action to be taken against those who are knowingly complicit in white-collar crime.
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Crime
■ Amend the constitution so that the Government of the day has a legal responsibility to protect the nation’s wealth – with failure resulting in jail sentences and heavy fines.
■ Establish a Policing & Justice Agency and an Organised Crime Agency.
■ Provide for a systematic increase in Garda numbers – at least 15,000 are currently needed.
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Road Safety
■ Support random breath testing and invest in enforcement so people who speed or drink drive know they will be caught.
■ Increase education about the dangers of speeding with strong enforcement of speed limits, particularly in areas of high population.
■ Bring road safety into the school curriculum. In 2nd Class every child should be aware of how to walk to school safely. By 5th Class, every child should know how to cycle to school safely, and in Transition Year every young person should acquire a Road Safety Certificate
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Electronic tagging of Sex Offenders
■ We would introduce legislation to provide for electronic tagging for sex offenders.
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