What is the state of play for the more than 300 policy plans agreed to last year, writes HARRY McGEEPolitical Correspondent
TWELVE MONTHS ago this week, after exhausting and tortuous negotiations, Fianna Fáil and the Greens agreed on a renewed programme for government that would take the Coalition to the end of its term in 2012.
The document ran to 45 pages and contained more than 300 policy goals. Fewer than 200 are specific enough to be measured. Of those, only about 30 have been fully implemented, an analysis by The Irish Timesof the programme shows.
Less than a dozen goals state a completion date. All but two of those failed to meet the target date. For example, a fuel poverty strategy was promised by the end of 2009. It has yet to materialise.
When entering coalition in 2007, the Greens agreed to a programme for government which was essentially the Fianna Fáil manifesto with a few Green add-ons (the main one being an average 3 per cent reduction in greenhouse emissions each year).
In the intervening period, the Greens had experienced a substantial fall in public support and increased resistance from its membership for its support for National Asset Management Agency and the banking bailout. Unfortunately for the Greens, many of the party’s big policies are in gestation, or are not happening, or are in deep freeze.
And as can be seen from the list of the most significant goals, many have been subject to revision, change, delay, long-fingering and mothballing because of the continuing grave situation facing the country.
ECONOMY
GOAL"We will set out our priorities for capital investment over the next five years by the end of 2009."
REALITYDid not happen. A seven-year plan was published in July 2010 detailing large cuts in National Development Plan projects.
GOAL"We will reform residency rules to ensure that those who benefit from living in Ireland are subject to taxation in Ireland (a measure to deal with tax exiles)."
REALITYProvided for in the budget and Finance Act which imposes a levy of €200,000 each year on those with a worldwide income of €1 million and Irish capital of more than €5 million. Will have to wait until 2011 to see success or otherwise of measure.
GOALWe will abolish the employee PRSI ceiling.
REALITYPRSI ceiling of €75,000 still there but likely to be ended in 2011 as part of wider reform of levies and social insurance.
GOAL"We will begin the simplification and rationalisation of the various levies of the income tax system beginning in 2010.
REALITYDid not happen in 2010. Likely in 2011.
GOALA single rate 33 per cent of tax relief on private pension.
REALITYNot implemented yet.
GOALCarbon Tax.
REALITYIntroduced in the budget at €15 per tonne. But Greens promised it would be revenue neutral. Income of €250 million but balancing fuel poverty; fuel efficiency and employer PRSI payments amount to €160million, a €90 million shortfall.
GOALA site valuation (property) tax.
REALITYRuled out at the start of the summer but may form part of budget.
GOALA system for financing local government.
REALITYNot implemented yet.
GOALWater charges with a free basic allowance and metering. REALITY Ruled out by Greens for 2011 but set to be introduced by 2014.
ENTERPRISE
GOALProvide a €100 million Enterprise Stabilisation Fund.
REALITY€78 million in total provided – €22 million cut.
GOAL1,000 graduates to gain work experience in Government departments.
REALITYNo public mention since October 2009.
GOALA €200 million Green Fund in Bank of Ireland and AIB.
REALITYUptake in June 2010 was less than 30 per cent (€57 million).
GOALLegislation to reform Fás.
REALITYFás will be effectively split into three following Government ministerial reshuffle.
GOAL12.5 per cent rate of corporation tax remains.
REALITYHas remained so far.
GOALMerge the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency.
REALITYPlans afoot but has not happened yet.
INNOVATION
GOALImplement Innovation Task Force report.
REALITYReported this year predicting potential for 100,000 jobs.
GOALMake €500 million innovation fund available.
REALITYThis is a plank of Government's innovation and smart economy strategy. Announced in July but the €500 million plan involves only €250 million of State funding – the other half is matching funding from venture capitalists.
GOALAppoint a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to provide leadership for the development of information and communications technology. CIO will report directly to the Taoiseach.
REALITYA year later, no CIO has been appointed despite the role being portrayed by Government as crucial.
GOALHigh-speed broadband of 100 MB/s to all second-level schools by 2012.
REALITYStill in pilot stage for 78 out of 4,000 schools. Major doubt in education sector that goal will be achieved.
GOALBroadband available to every house in the country by 2012.
REALITYThough two years away, unlikely to be achieved.
GOALA new system for national post and location codes.
REALITYLaunched.
GREEN ECONOMY
GOALGreen criteria are at the centre of all State procurement, including public-private partnership.
REALITYNot implemented. Influential group of chief executives of major Foreign Direct Investment firms called for it to be done quickly during summer.
GOAL6,000 electric vehicles over three years.
REALITYESB rolling out charging points and piloting e-cars. Doubt over pace of conversion.
GOALForeshore licencing transferred to the Department of the Environment.
REALITYThat was in train and happened earlier this year. Thus it is John Gormley who is the Minister who makes the decision on the licence for the Poolbeg incinerator.
GOAL5 per cent of land in organic agriculture.
REALITYReduction of 17 per cent in organic food market. Farmland under organic production remains at around 1 per cent.
FORESTRY
GOALIncrease forestry plantation to 10,000 hectares per year and increase the level in 2010 through direct funding.
REALITYPlanting was static in 2010, remaining at around 7,000 hectares.
BANKING
GOALA Combined Code of Corporate Governance for banks.
REALITYThe project has been developed by Financial Regulator Matthew Elderfield.
GOALLevy to recoup losses Nama may incur.
REALITYImplemented. A key demand from the Green membership.
GOALRegulate debt collection agencies and set up debt enforcement office
. REALITYAwaiting final report from the Law Reform Commission. No office as yet. Only legislation that deals with collection agencies is section from Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 which makes demanding payment of debt with alarm an offence.
WELFARE
GOALWe will publish a fuel poverty strategy by the end of 2009.
REALITYFailed. None published to date.
GOALCommunity Welfare Service will transfer form the HSE to the Department of Social Protection in early 2010.
REALITYService is still listed on the HSE website.
HEALTH
GOALPrivate hospital co-location plan limited to already committed projects.
REALITYChanged economic circumstances has slowed progress on some of the projects.
GOALAdvance national paediatric hospital.
REALITYHas attracted controversy in recent weeks over early employment of senior executives before hospital is built.
MENTAL HEALTH
GOAL"In 2011 we will publish a plan with timeframe for faster access to mental health services, building on Vision for Change."
REALITYNot published. In July, the independent monitoring group which reports annually on Vision for Change criticised an absence of mental health leadership at corporate level in HSE; criticised the disappointing funding for 2009; and reported little progress in establishing fully developed community mental health teams. Some believe this area will take brunt of €600 million cuts in health services.
EQUALITY
GOALConstitutional referendum on recognising the role of the parent in the home.
REALITYNot discussed publicly in past 12 months.
CHILDREN
GOALChildren's rights referendum. REALITY Oireachtas Committee recommended wording in February 2010. Last month, the committee chair Mary O'Rourke bemoaned lack of progress. Government says 2011 but no clarity on date.
CLIMATE CHANGE
GOALClimate Change Bill.
REALITYThis was a major Green policy but a year later, the Bill is not close to publication. It's not on the priority list for this session. Publication promised in 2011. Doubt as to it emerging before end of Government's term.
GOALNational Climate Adaptation Strategy.
REALITYBeing worked on. But no date for completion.
PLANNING
GOALWe will ensure that Ireland can ratify the Arrhus Convention by March 2010.
REALITYFailed. Has not been published. There were legal issues and the Attorney General advised.
WASTE
GOALWe will place a cap on incineration capacity to prevent waste being drawn to incineration which could otherwise have gone to recycling.
REALITYThis was a concession to the Greens. Seen as too late to affect the Poolbeg incinerator, a project to which Green leader John Gormley is fiercely opposed.
ANIMAL WELFARE
GOALStag hunting ban.
REALITYAchieved before the summer recess but at a cost for the coalition with Fianna Fáil's Mattie McGrath voting against the Government.
GOALPhasing out of fur farming over three years.
REALITYNot implemented.
TRANSPORT
GOALReal-time passenger information at over 500 bus stops by end of 2010.
REALITYWill be implemented on schedule.
GOALExtension to Western Rail Corridor.
REALITYMothballed in revised capital plan this summer.
GOALRail line to Navan.
REALITYAlso mothballed.
GOALMetro North.
REALITYGreens say it is still a priority project but doubts hang over it because of the huge cost.
GOALInvestigate road pricing.
REALITYThe Dublin charge was always seen as a longer term goal but may be prioritised as revenue-raising measure.
GOALIntegrated ticketing – smart card for Dublin bus and Luas by end of 2010.
REALITYTo be introduced in 2011. Integrated ticketing has proved a very expensive project.
EDUCATION
GOAL500 new teaching posts to prevent higher pupil teacher ratios.
REALITYOne of the few policies fully achieved. This was also a key demand of the Greens. In fact, some 1,000 additional posts have been created to cater for surge in child population.
HIGHER EDUCATION
GOALNo new scheme of student contribution to third-level education.
REALITYThat may be reversed in the budget.
ELECTORAL REFORM
GOALEstablish an Independent Electoral Commission.
REALITYNo real progress.
GOALBan on political donations.
REALITYLegislation not on priority list. Unlikely to be progressed until 2011 at the earliest.
GOALRevise system of expenses for TDs and Senators.
REALITYImplemented this year.
GOALSet up register of lobbyists.
REALITYNo progress.
GOALReview current fee structure for Freedom of Information applications.
REALITYNo progress.
GOALDublin Mayor.
REALITYThis first appeared in 2007 programme. Legislation will be published shortly. Greens want election in spring of next year.
POLITICIANS PAY
GOALReduce salaries and expenses.
REALITYReduced in Budget 2010.
GOALReform of top-level appointments in the Civil Service.
REALITY. Implemented. Private sector now in majority on appointment committees.
ARTS
GOALNew Abbey Theatre to be located in the GPO complex by 2016.
REALITYDoubt over Abbey moving to GPO. New Minister Mary Hanafin said she is awaiting outcome of feasibility study. But her comments suggest she is throwing cold water on the idea.