GILMORE REACTION:THERE WERE no coalition talks with Fine Gael taking place ahead of polling day, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has said.
Warning against support for Sinn Féin, United Left Alliance and Independent candidates at a news conference in Dublin yesterday, he said: “The outcome of such a vote would mean the election of a single-party Fine Gael government.”
On the possibility of a single-party Fine Gael government, he said a coalition that included Labour would be “more fair and balanced”.
A coalition government would “share the ideas and the energy and personnel to bring the country forward”. It would also be “probably a more stable government for the next five years”.
Asked whether there were Fine Gael-Labour negotiations already under way, he replied: “There are no negotiations taking place.” He said it was a good thing that Labour had “put up on the table” its differences with other parties.
“In the course of the negotiation of any programme for government, naturally we would have to try and resolve those differences and to reconcile them. I have to say . . . that there are many areas in our respective programmes where there is common ground between Labour and Fine Gael, on our objectives in health policy, political reform, and so on.”
Launching the party's Manifesto for Children, he said his abiding memory of the campaign would be the number of voters who told him: "I am going to do what is best for the children."
Spokesman on children Senator Alex White said: “Investment in children is an investment in all of our futures.”
On welfare for children, he said: “The Labour Party will not countenance a cut in child benefit.”
Labour in government would also ensure that a children’s rights referendum is “urgently progressed” and introduce legislation to provide for the exchange of “soft information” in suspected child-abuse cases. The level of proof required from an accused person claiming “mistake as to age” for sexual offences against a minor would be raised.
Labour would expedite the implementation of the policies set out in the Ryan report implementation plan to improve the manner in which child-abuse allegations were dealt with.
The party would introduce a legal right to a career break, “subject to reasonable conditions”. This would allow parents to take time out of the workplace without risking benefits or job security.
Labour would also introduce paternity leave, whereby parents could share paid leave.
Mr White said: “That’s something we would be very committed to, that both parents would have access to leave. It’s something, frankly, that can only really be brought forward when we have more resources available.”
