THE ALLIANCE Party will increase its representation in the Assembly and push for a second ministry in the Executive, its leader, David Ford, has said.
Outlining the party’s hefty manifesto yesterday, Mr Ford cited his tenure of the new justice portfolio to claim that an Alliance minister in any other department would not shy away from tough decisions.
To that end, Mr Ford announced his party would introduce stand-alone domestic water charges and claimed that the refusal to do so by Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party was starving health and education of needed funds.
He also advocated the establishment of a single department for the economy and pledged to reduce the numbers of Stormont departments to eight and numbers in the Assembly to 80.
The party is also pledged to review public administration and cut the number of local councils to fewer than half the current 26.
Alliance was about “making tough decisions, standing by them and explaining them to the public”, Mr Ford said.
“This is not a manifesto of changes that we want others to deliver. It’s a manifesto of changes that we want to deliver.”
Water charges, rejected by other parties, “will be needed”, he said.
“That’s the honest position and it’s why we haven’t hidden it or made some vague reference to it in our manifesto. Rather, we’ve set out the detail of how we believe water charges should be introduced – a fair system based on your ability to pay, the amount you use and a corresponding reduction in rates.”
The party says it will fight “unfair” hikes in university fees. A cap on the maximum colleges can charge is being lifted and annual charges of between £6,000 (€6,830) and £9,000 (€10,250) are anticipated. Mr Ford also called for an “economic revolution” in Northern Ireland in general and a single economy department in particular – a similar call was made by Prof Richard Barnett, who headed a review of Stormont economic policy in 2009.
The party wants a cut in corporation tax and the transfer of tax varying powers from Westminster.
The manifesto contains numerous proposals to achieve a shared future and is pressing for greater pupil numbers in integrated education, the ending of “designation” by Assembly members in Stormont and a single equality Bill.
The manifesto, which runs to 148 pages, offered real and radical change, Mr Ford concluded.
The change his party envisaged “will begin to create a society where everyone can live, work and socialise together in safety”.
It would make Northern Ireland a better place – “more peaceful, prosperous, open, welcoming and vibrant”.
Alliance holds seven Assembly seats and one ministry, but this was allocated outside the usual d’Hondt system for the sharing of Executive posts.
The party is confident of adding to its Assembly total and will push for a second ministry – preferably health or education or one of the other key “spending” ministries.
For the first time Alliance is running in all 18 Assembly constituencies and has nominated two candidates in four of them.
MAIN POINTS
Stormont reforms including cutting the number of seats and ministries
The introduction of an equality Bill and human rights codes
Backing for integrated education Transfer of tax varying powers and lower corporation tax
The introduction of water charges
Opposition to university fee hikes
Clamping down on illegal use of flags and emblems
Removing "peace walls"