PD manifesto:Major tax cuts, extra public spending and significant reforms in public services form the centrepiece of the Progressive Democrats' election manifesto.
Published within hours of the official start of the campaign, the 68-page document is entitled "From good to great: Continuing Ireland's radical transformation".
If re-elected, the top tax rate would be cut to 38 per cent, while the standard rate would fall to 18 per cent, while significant cuts would be made to tax bands.
A couple earning €100,000, or a single person earning €50,000 would pay only standard rate tax, and none at all if they were earning below €40,000 and €20,000 respectively, once changes to tax credits were made.
The under-six childcare payment would double to €2,000 a year, while 50,000 extra childcare places would be provided by 2010.
Schools would be made more accessible to students outside school hours to help commuting parents, who frequently face substantial after-hours childcare costs.
Stamp duty would be abolished immediately after the election and before the Dáil goes into its summer break, for all first-time buyers, "regardless of cost".
Rates for everybody else would be cut, since home buyers would only face higher duty rates only on the portion of the price over each threshold.
State pensions would rise to €300 over the lifetime of the next Dáil, while carers would be able to earn €640 before losing out on any part of the Carer's Allowance.
An SSIA-type scheme to encourage workers earning below €66,000 to start pensions would offer €1 for each €2 saved - though existing pension reliefs would be sacrificed.
On health, the Progressive Democrats offered "twelve guarantees" of better, cleaner, faster and safer hospital treatment.
Patients would be offered treatment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund after three months of waiting - though this would, in time, be cut to just two months.
Patients will be discharged from hospital on a seven-day basis "as soon as medically ready", and not held back over weekends unnecessarily.
Cancer patients would receive the same quality of care, regardless of where they lived, while extra breast, cervical and colorectal screening will be offered.
All children requiring cancer or cardiac treatment will be dealt with as "soon as they are medically ready", the party has promised.
Within two years, all patients attending accident and emergency wards will wait no more than six hours, once a 12-hour target has been achieved.
The Progressive Democrats have based their plans on the economy growing by five per cent a year, on a rise in State borrowing for capital investment and on healthy tax revenue growth.
State spending could rise in line with inflation and economic growth, unlike in other countries, because the Irish population is young and the economy is performing well.
Besides the €180 billion list of National Development Plan projects, the Progressive Democrats also intend to build a new orbital route around the capital.
It would link with motorway routes to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Derry and Belfast, and a new port in Bremore in Louth that would replace the one in Dublin.
Roads to Cavan, Sligo and Monaghan would be significantly improved, while "feeder" bus routes should link all train stations serving Dublin-bound commuters.
Elections for a directly-elected mayor, with executive powers, should be held in one council area, which would be rolled out elsewhere if successful.
Public service reform should be driven by a Public Service Inspectorate, while a government chief information technology officer should be appointed to head the installation of State IT projects and cut costs.
Extra powers should be given to the Competition Authority so that it can act on its own and impose severe fines if companies are found guilty on the balance of probabilities.
Ministers should have the power to issue policy directives to State regulators dealing with electricity, gas and other utility services "to enhance consumer protection".
The party is also committed to oppose the introduction of electronic voting that cannot produce a "transparent, verifiable" vote audit.
Missionaries returning to Ireland should qualify automatically for State pensions, along with all benefits, even if they have not paid sufficient PRSI contributions.
