In Fine Gael we want the best for our city.

Dublin OfficeFine Gael Headquaters51 Upper Mount Street

Dublin 2Phone: 619 84 44

Email: dublin@finegael.iewww.finegael.ie

Dublinis a great city with a proud history

The local elections on June

11th are not just about

electing candidates, but

must also be about setting

out a new agenda for the

entire Dublin region. We

will work with others to

develop that vision for a

safer, cleaner, more

competitive and smarter

city for all the citizens of

Dublin. Fine Gael wants to

give the city a new political

leadership. That’s why we

have published our

priorities for Dublin in

this document.

In Fine Gael we want the best for

our city.

People want to live and

raise their children in

one of the best capital

cities of Europe.

Fine Gael puts the capitalcity first – giving it back tothe people

Dublin is a great city with a proud history.People want to live and raise theirchildren in one of the best capital citiesof Europe. In Fine Gael we want the bestfor our city.

In recent years the city has become adifficult place in which to live and work.The cost of housing and the cost of livingkeeps increasing as more and morepeople are forced out of the city and intoadjoining counties. This must be turnedaround.

The Government’s decentralisation planswill not only leave no major Departmentof State on the north side of Dublin, buthave ensured that thousands of publicservants have to leave this city.Decentralisation is bad for Dublin and forthe country because the current plansare totally at variance with the nationalspatial strategy.

Getting around Dublin is becoming moredifficult as congestion costs the city over€600 million a year. There is a real sensethat nothing works and no one is incharge as the city grows at a rapid ratewithout any real master plan for theregion.

Fine Gael has produced a NationalManifesto for the upcoming elections,

which addresses the broader challengefacing the nation. However, given theparticular nature of the problems facingthe capital city, we feel it vital thatDublin has its own set of policies speltout in detail.

The local elections on June 11th are notjust about electing candidates, but mustalso be about setting out a new agendafor the entire Dublin region. We will workwith others to develop that vision for asafer, cleaner, more competitive andsmarter city for all the citizens of Dublin.Fine Gael wants to give the city a newpolitical leadership. That’s why we havepublished our priorities for Dublin in thisdocument.

Senator Brian HayesFG Dublin Spokesperson

t a k i n g a

standf o r dublin

Fine Gael D

ublin Local Elections Manifesto 2004

ExecutiveSummary

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61. Reforming Local Government inDublin: Fine Gael proposes theintroduction of legislation for a directlyelected Lord Mayor – elected by thepeople for a five-year term.

2. Getting Transport Moving: Fine Gaelproposes the establishment of a newDublin Transport Authority to take overthe existing powers that are vested in 20separate groups / agencies in Dublin thatcurrently have some responsibility fortransport.

3. A Safe City: Fine Gael proposes thatthe organisation and operation of thepolice in Dublin should fall under aDublin Metropolitan Police service,working in tandem with An GardaSíochána.

4. Value For Money Please: We willcreate an Independent InfrastructureReview Unit which will regularly reviewand revise cost estimates within allrelevant state bodies with responsibilityfor all infrastructure projects.

5. Dublin: A Multi-Cultural City: FineGael proposes that Dublin City Councildesignate different parts of the city asareas where another ethnic culture can befound, and local authorities providecitizenship courses to those that want tobecome Irish citizens.

6. A Clean City: Fine Gael will abolish theflat rate annual waste charge, introducinga fair waiver system throughout the city.By doubling the plastic bag tax, we willalso make a commitment that within twoyears, all householders in Dublin will haverecourse to recycling bins, organiccomposters, and other recycling facilities.

7. Dublin: A Home For Everyone: Wewill assist prospective house buyersachieve their goal of owning their ownhome by implementing a three pointplan, namely introducing an SSIA-typesavings account that will give First TimeBuyers €1 for every €3 saved over aminimum of two years, abolishing stampduty on second-hand homes for FirstTime Buyers, and the frontloading ofmortgage interest relief to the first sevenyears of the life of the mortgage to helpin the early, expensive stages of amortgage.

8. Building Up Public Infrastructure:Fine Gael believes that Local Authoritiesshould be given power to decide fundingon projects that come within the remit ofthe National Lottery, as Dublin iscurrently losing out in comparison toother regions of the country in terms ofits share of the funds.

9. A Family Friendly City: Fine Gael willintroduce a Local Business ChildcareProject whereby local businesses will co-operate to offer childcare facilities toemployees locally at a reasonable rate,with financial investment from LocalAuthorities.

E

ReformingLocalGovernment in DublinDubliners want to see realpolitical accountability inthe people they elect.

Political leaders and not County Managersshould be making decisions in the city.Fine Gael wants a directly elected Mayor,in co-operation with elected City andCounty Councillors to be a real focus ofpower. Currently, power rests with un-elected officials, which is no basis fordemocracy and fair representation.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. We will introduce legislation to allowfor the election of a directly electedMayor for the city and county of Dublinfor a five-year term.

2. The elected Mayor would appoint ateam of Local Ministers with a numberof executive powers from a newlycomprised Dublin Authority, made up ofexisting Councillors from the fourauthorities.

3. The four existing local authorities(Dublin City, Fingal, DunLaoghaire/Rathdown and South Dublin)will continue to make yearlyappointments to the position of CouncilChairperson. However, the new Mayor forthe entire city will have very specificpowers and tasks. Specifically he/she willco-ordinate policy in the areas of County

Planning, Business and EconomicDevelopment, Transport, CountywidePolicing, Environmental and Joint Leisure& Amenity Programmes.

4. Fine Gael will root out waste andinefficiency by conducting a full audit ofthe multiplicity of local governmentagencies to see where streamlining canoccur, with the clear aim of savingDubliners money.

5. We want Dublin local authorities touse the existing power to allow localplebiscites on key local issues as a meansof encouraging citizens to participate indecision-making.

6. In conjunction with proper planningand the adoption of a City and CountyDevelopment Plan, we support thepromotion of local area action plans,which set our strategic goals in smallerparts of Dublin for a five-year period.Local area action plans should beincorporated into the City and CountyDevelopment Plans.

7. Maverick rezoning decisions in Dublinmust now be sanctioned by the supportof the Rezoning Review Board. WhereCouncillors go against the planning anddevelopment advise of their council, FineGael’s Rezoning Review Board mustsanction the decision before it can beaccepted.

8. The Minister for the Environment andLocal Government should continue tohave the powers to dissolve councilsthat fail to pass a budget, but a freshelection should then take place instead ofthe appointment of an unelected andunaccountable Commissioner.

1.

GettingTransportMovingDublin is the capital oftraffic gridlock.

We need to do better for those who usepublic transport and for those stilldependent on the car as their only formof transport.

The case for a truly integrated transportsystem in Dublin is now well overdue.Fine Gael will provide such a system sothat public transport is a real option forcommuters. We have got to tip thebalance in favour of public transport.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. The establishment of a new DublinTransport Authority to take over theexisting powers that are vested in 20separate groups / agencies in Dublin thatcurrently have some responsibility fortransport. All public transport bodieswould be answerable to the DTA for theservice they provide.

2. Better ticketing: We will introduceeasily accessible prepaid ticketing toreduce delays caused by the collection offares by drivers. Ticket machines shouldbe available at every bus stop. A ticketpurchased at one point on the transportnetwork should be adequate to transferto any other part of the network or theLuas or Dart. Fine Gael will provide anintegrated ticketing system, one ticket forbus/Luas/Dart, along with competition inthe Dublin Bus route sector and moreinvestment in park & ride facilities. Bustickets will also be more available in retailoutlets around Dublin. Purchase of an

annual ticket should be tax deductible forindividuals; the present system foremployers will be continued.

3. Trains: Fine Gael will promoteinvestment in Dublin area suburban railas a priority, particularly with a view toutilising existing tracks to serve newcommunities. Fine Gael favours theIarnrod Éireann plan, which is currentlyon the Minister’s desk.

The plan includes the establishment of anintegrated rail service involving Darts toMaynooth via Dublin 15 and the NorthInner City, Lucan, and out as far as NorthKildare and to the Airport.

4. Safety: We will make public transportmore attractive – providing authorisedofficers on buses and DARTs, some ofwhich could be in plain clothes, toenforce laws. CCTV will also be part ofthe new system to maintain public orderon public transport. Drug abuse, alcoholconsumption and smoking on buses willnot be tolerated.

5. New bus routes will be identified inkey areas where the population hasexpanded rapidly. Priority will be givento developing new routes, while someexisting routes will be opened to tender.No passenger should have to wait morethan 15 minutes for a bus.

6. Quality Bus Corridors (QBCs): We willincrease the number and efficiency ofquality bus corridors only where thestreets/roads are capable of supportingthem. Funded by the revenue generatedfrom parking fees, Local Authorities willbe charged with ensuring that thesefacilities are properly maintained,advertised, and signposted, as well asensuring proper access to the site isprovided for in the planning stages. Wemust avoid the mistakes of the past - forexample, park and ride facilities atNewland’s Cross are likely to causefurther congestion due to inadequateaccess from the north-bound lanes of the

2.

Naas dual carriageway. Before new QBC’scome into operation, public transportoperators have to guarantee a minimumnumber of buses at peak times.

7. Communicating with Commuters:Real time displays will be erectedthroughout the bus network so thatpassengers can tell when the next bus isdue

8. Fine Gael will seek to double thecapacity of the DART service by investingin rolling stock and signalling to increasethe throughput of traffic. Instead ofalways buying new carriages, IarnrodÉireann should lease them, which wouldprove more cost-effective.

9. DART Park and Ride Facilities: FineGael will provide for more park and ridefacilities along the DART lines, and willlicence private and public operations tooperate bus feeder services to and fromDART Stations, reducing the use ofprivate cars.

10. Air Travel: Fine Gael sees a case forthe establishment of a second airport forDublin or, at a minimum, a secondterminal at Dublin Airport. If we do nothave an efficient airport system, ourtourism and commerce will be threatened.

11. Fine Gael in government willintroduce a dedicated traffic corps forDublin city to enforce traffic regulationsand implement OperationFreeflow on a year round basis.

12. The SCATS traffic light system used inDublin, which currently only controls 180intersections in the Dublin City Councilarea, will be extended to South Dublin,Fingal, and Dun Laoghaire/Rathdownwhere, remarkably, they have differentsystems in place.

13. Car-pooling: We will encourage car-pooling by permitting cars with threeor more occupants to use bus lanes. We believe that this initiative could

dramatically reduce the number of carson the roads during commute hours. Likeother proposals, the idea should be testedand only continued if it reducescongestion and does not impede busesusing the quality bus lanes.

14. Smart Bike Proposal: We willintroduce a Smart Bike System in pilotareas in the city, and if it is successful,the idea could be mainstreamed throughall parts of the city and county. Thesystem, which works well in many EUcountries, uses information technology toallow commuters use a smart card thatthey have purchased in anewsagent or supermarket tounlock bicycles parkedthroughout the city and has thepotential of offering publictransport users an easy meansof getting around the city.

15. Toll Free: Access to theM50 via tollbooths is causingnightmarish traffic jams. Coinoperatives should be abolishedif measures cannot be found to eliminatedelays caused by drivers paying the toll.Technology - such as that currently usedin London to collect the congestioncharge electronically - should begradually introduced. We will re-negotiate the contract with National TollRoads to ensure that no motorist has towait for a specified period at the tollbridge. If this maximum period isbreached, the barriers should beautomatically raised. This condition isnow part of the contracts in place inrespect of other toll roads recentlyopened.

16. Fine Gael demands much greater co-ordination between local business,local authorities and the traffic police inintroducing a city wide streamlined off-peak delivery plan for the city. Wewelcome the pilot scheme in operation inDublin city centre.

A Safe CityCrime in Dublin hasincreased dramatically sincethis current Governmenttook office in 1997.

Public order offences, gun crime, violentattacks, racially motivated andhomophobic crime, along with attacks onpersons and property are common dayoccurrences in our capital. Whilst alcoholis repeatedly linked to our spiralling crimeproblem, a number of things can be doneto improve the situation.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. Establish Local Police Partnershipsunder the auspices of the various localauthorities in the city where thecommunity, local politicians, relevantauthorities and the Gardaí can meet on aregular basis to discuss local policingmatters. We believe that policepartnerships are essential in counteringthe existing vigilante threat that is posedin some parts of the city.

2. We are calling for a fundamentalchange in the operational structure ofthe Gardaí in Dublin. Dublin policingissues are different to other parts of thecountry. As such, we are proposing thatthe organisation and operation of thepolice in Dublin should fall under aDublin Metropolitan Police service,

working in tandem with An GardaSíochána.

3. Fine Gael want more Gardaí forDublin and demand that the governmentselection promise for 2,000 additionalGardaí be acted upon without delay. Thiswill mean opening a new training centre,as the existing centre in Templemorecannot cope with the additional newrecruits. We want new officers trained inDublin so that as part of their trainingthey can work with Garda Stations thatare currently overstretched.

4. In many EU capitals, the presence ofa large police force in major pedestrianareas acts as a deterrent to crime. Thishas never been tried in the city, andshould now be acted upon immediately.Furthermore, we are calling for jointpatrols of various parts of the citybetween the Gardaí and local authorityuniformed personnel at times of the daywhen littering and public order offencesare prevalent. Joint patrolling by DublinCity Council and the Gardaí could act as adeterrent.

5. A new revitalised "NeighbourhoodWatch" programme should be re-launched in conjunction with the fourDublin local authorities.

6. Fine Gael will make available funds toroll out the use of CCTV as a means ofdetecting local crime. CCTV should notjust be for business districts.

7. Fine Gael believes that An GardaSíochána should deploy a new policy ofrecruitment so that all areas of the cityhave representative members of the forcewithin its ranks.

8. The Drugs Court currently operatingin the city centre should now beextended to other parts of the city andout of the pilot phase.

3.

Value ForMoney Please Dublin now ranks as one ofthe most expensive cities inEurope.

The rip off culture has taken off asDubliners are short-changed on virtuallyeverything they buy. Tourism in thecapital will be lost unless something isdone to stop this culture of rip off. Wemust also make accountable thoseagencies that win contracts for majorinfrastructure projects in the city. Luaswas originally costed at €279 million, buthas eventually come in at €770 million.The Dublin Port Tunnel is anotherexample of bad value for money. Projectsmust come in on budget and on time.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. We will create an IndependentInfrastructure Review Unit, which willregularly review and revise cost estimates,within all relevant state bodies withresponsibility for all infrastructureprojects. This review unit would have aremit in all public bodies involved in thedelivery of infrastructure projects. Itwould be an independent body appointedby the Minister for Finance and wouldinclude finance, engineering and otherrecognised national and internationalexperts who would assess the costs of allpublic infrastructure projects and ensuregreater value for money at all stages inthe delivery of infrastructure projects.This information would also be availableto the Oireachtas and the public. It isessential that local authority financecommittees in Dublin play a full role inmonitoring the capital programme intheir area.

2. We propose that the Office of theDirector of Consumer Affairs bereplaced by a pro-active ConsumerRights Enforcer who will be given newpowers to drive the consumer agenda,including naming and shaming rip-offmerchants. This Enforcer will empowerOfficers of Local Authorities to carry outinspections and take prosecutions at locallevel where a breach of pricing policyoccurs. Local Authorities should carry outregular price surveys and sporadicinvestigations, as well as "name andshame" publicity campaigns to highlightblatant high margins on certain products.

3. We will demand that price lists arevisible to the public.

4. Fine Gael proposes that the localhealth boards in Dublin should appointfuneral advisory officers to be availableon mobile phone throughout the day andafter hours to advise on funeralarrangements and how to minimalisecosts. Something needs to be done totackle the exorbitant costs of funerals inthe city. To this end, we will promote thecreation of a co-operative of funeralundertakers for the benefit of peoplealong the lines of the Irish Credit UnionMovement.

4.

CelebratingDublin as aMulti-CulturalCityThousands of immigrantworkers have taken up vitaljobs within the servicessector of our capital inrecent years.

Dublin is now a multi-cultural city andwe all have much to gain from the newinhabitants that have come to live here.We recognise their contribution to oursociety. Without their work, the tourism,health, and financial services industrieswould collapse. Every person living inDublin has a basic right to live in apeaceful and tolerant society. Fine Gaelwants to encourage the activeparticipation of all ethnic groups withinthe local democracy of this city.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. We are proposing that a new nationalpublic holiday for the specific purpose ofcelebrating multi-culturalism in Irelandbe established. The festival of worldcultures, now in it fourth year in DunLaoghaire, is a wonderful example of thiscelebration of our new city. A new publicholiday to celebrate multi-culturalism issomething that we should all be able toparticipate in.

2. Each Local Authority in Dublin shouldimmediately establish local consultationcommittees with the various non-

national communities in the city. Localgovernment in Dublin should tap into thetremendous contribution that thesecommunities have to make in their localarea.

3. We propose the establishment of aspecial liaison service for minorityethnic groups as a means of explainingthe provision of local services andproviding multi-lingual versions of localauthority application forms.

4. Local authorities in Dublin shouldprovide citizenship courses to those whoaspire to become full Irish citizens.

5. Dublin City Council should designatedifferent parts of the city as areaswhere another ethnic culture can befound. For instance virtually every capitalcity in Europe has a Chinatown etc. We need to recognise the large groups ofnon-Irish citizens currently in Dublin andalso see the tourism potential.

Clean CityDublin has got to clean up its act.

Fine Gael believes that the current wastemanagement strategy policy employed byDublin local authorities is not achievingits full potential. Incineration should notbe an option for a city that has onlyrecently taken to recycling. Much moreneeds to be done in terms of reducing,re-using and recycling.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. We recognise that domestic wastecharges are a fact of life. However,these charges should be operated on afair basis. Fine Gael will abolish the flatrate annual waste charge. A fair system

5.

6.

of waivers should operate throughout thecity.

2. We are proposing the establishmentof a new local authority platformbetween the four local authorities ofDublin and local authorities in Britainwho are supportive of our position toclose the nuclear reprocessing plant atSellafield.

3. We will double the plastic bag tax inorder to generate funds, ringfenced forimprovements of recycling facilities.

4. We will promote the establishment ofmore recycling green facilities in allcommunities around the city. We will alsoimprove the level of information given toschools in the Greater Dublin area aboutthe benefits of recycling. We will greatlyextend plastic, battery, paper and glassbring centres. We want bring centres tobe open throughout the week. In tandemwith this, we will increase the number ofcollections of green wheelie bins fromhouseholds, depending on demand.

5. With the money generated bycharges, we make a commitment thatwithin two years, all householders inDublin will have recourse to recyclingbins, organic composters, and otherrecycling facilities. We also want localauthorities to provide Junk Collection ona much more frequent basis then iscurrently the case.

Dublin: AHome forEveryoneThe housing situation inDublin is chronic.

The current Government has made the

situation worse in the last seven yearsand has failed to provide proper fundingto Local Authorities in Dublin to buildaffordable housing. There is simply noplanning in place to deal with Dublin’srapidly expanding population as housingis now beyond the means of averageincome families.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. Fine Gael is proposing theestablishment of one central applicationprocedure for those who have applied forsocial housing. In future, instead ofmaking applications for housing to a localauthority, applicants would apply directlyto this new agency. Rather than havingexisting Dublin housing authoritiescompete against each other for a limitedhousing supply, we believe it makes senseto amalgamate our efforts on acountywide basis for the benefit of allDubliners. Every effort will be made toensure that housing is provided in localareas, so that communities can bestrengthened.

2. We will help Dublin’s young FirstTime Buyers with a three-point plan tohelp them save for a house, buy a houseand pay for their mortgage. This willinvolve:

•SSIA-type savings account that willgive First Time Buyers €1 for every €3saved over a minimum of two years.

•The abolition of stamp duty onsecond-hand homes for First TimeBuyers.

7.

possible to establish special area amenityorders on existing green belt or parks landthroughout the county. Housing must notbe allowed to encroach upon vital greenspace.

2. Our parks must be of the higheststandard. To this end, we will appoint aDublin Playground Inspector who willmake an independent assessment to thefour local authorities on the currentcondition of playgrounds throughout thecounty. The quality and standard ofplaygrounds for our children in Dublin isdisgraceful, in comparison with othermajor capital cities. Our parks do nothave the type of security that is neededtoday. Park rangers/wardens need to be inplace and in constant contact with thelocal police service. There is also a need tohave more playing pitches, particularly innewer areas.

3. We will establish a plan to preservethe unique village identities that are inabundance in outlying parts of thecounty. The villages of County Dublinmust be protected from over-development.

4. We believe that the River Liffey couldbe a wonderful public amenity if it wasdamned at its mouth, thereby creating acanal like waterway in the heart of thecity. This could help the entire inner cityarea and also help to establish an excitingwaterways amenity for the entire city.

5. Our members on Dublin City Councilwill develop a master plan for thecomplete renewal of Dublin’s Grand andRoyal Canals. Now derelict, the walkwaysalong the canals need to be rejuvenated.

6. Fine Gael believes that the AbbeyTheatre should be relocated to theCarlton site on O’Connell Street, ifsuitable. This decision, above any otherdecision, would revitalise O’Connell Streetwhile also helping to create a newcultural area close to The Gate Theatreand relocated Abbey.

7. The National Concert Hall should beredeveloped on the existing site in orderto provide Dubliners - and all Irish people- with a facility of which they can beproud.

8. We will promote Dublin as a venuefor international sporting events, andwill provide the infrastructure necessaryto facilitate such events such as the TallShips, the Overseas Tour de France etc.

9. Young people throughout Dublin Cityare crying out for skateboarding androllerblading facilities. Public liabilityinsurance companies must not stand inthe way of the creation of these facilitiesfor our young people. Fine Gael willimmediately start work on a range ofskateboarding parks throughout ourcapital.

10. Local Authorities should be givenpower to decide funding on projects thatcome within the remit of the NationalLottery. Dublin is losing out incomparison to other regions of thecountry in terms of its share of theNational Lottery Funds. These funds mustnot be used as an election slush fund andwe believe that allocations should begiven over directly to Dublin LocalAuthorities to determine priorities in theirarea.

11. Fine Gael believes that a systemshould be introduced whereby schoolbuildings around Dublin can be used toprovide commercial crèche and child-minding facilities outside schoolhours. We are also calling on theDepartment of Education to provideclassrooms which may become availablebecause of dwindling school numbers tolocal organisations and groups.

•The frontloading of mortgage interestrelief to the first seven years of the lifeof the mortgage to help in the early,expensive stages of a mortgage.

•Fine Gael seeks the release of suitablestate-owned lands in Dublin foraffordable housing.

4. As a means of encouragingdownsizing, we believe that a taxincentive should be established toencourage older residents to move topurpose built accommodation and beentitled to keep a portion of the asset onthe transaction of the sale of theirproperty. This incentive for "emptynesters" would serve to free up familyhomes in prime locations in Dublin – thusdiminishing the need for young propertyhunters to move further outside theirlocation of choice.

5. Fine Gael will support and promotethe development of the city in terms ofrapidly expanding housing density inparts of the city, which have beenunderdeveloped to date. We see tremendous opportunities forinfill housing development in the areaseast of the Customs House. We willsupport policies that are designed toconcentrate residential development onexisting transport corridors or proposedpublic transport routes. There is a growingneed for Dublin authorities to imposeCompulsory Purchase Orders on derelictand underdeveloped sites through out the city.

6. Fine Gael commits to the fullimplementation of the strategicguidelines for the greater Dublin area,which aim to stop the sprawl of the cityinto neighbouring communities.

7. As the recent Ombudsman’s Reporthighlighted, planning enforcement is notrecognised as a particular prioritycurrently in the City. This has got tochange.

Dublin –Building upour PublicInfrastructureDespite the recent upturn in oureconomy, many of our city streets andolder county villages are in poorcondition. We need to see a majorinjection of public funds in Dublin which

will enhance our amenities and facilities.Dublin is a beautiful Georgian city and itis vital that we preserve our heritage forgenerations to come. We have got tostrike the right balance between the oldand the new. Local authorities in Dublinplay a pivotal role in developing publicspace for the city and county. Thesignificance of Dublin Bay is a directresult of the improvement of the waterquality.

Fine Gael proposes the following:

1. We will develop a new parks policyfor the city and county, proposing where

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A FAMILYFRIENDLYCITYFine Gael believes that families must befacilitated in offering the best possiblechildcare provision for our children, whileoffering a choice to those who wish to bepart of Dublin’s vibrant workforce. Weencourage parents to choose how childrenare to be cared for in the best possibleway. In Dublin we will offer support toparents who wish to re-enter theworkplace.

1. Local Business Childcare Project – FineGael will initiate a mechanism wherebylocal businesses will co-operate to offerchildcare facilities to employees locally ata reasonable rate. Pooling of resourceswill reduce costs and will be furtherfinanced by direct investment of LocalAuthorities.

2. We will re-examine child to adultratios in crèches - capacity can only beincreased by lowering charges on crèchesor by raising the permitted productivity oftheir workers.

3. Local Authorities will develop anintegrated up-skilling programme aimedat parents who have been out of work forprolonged periods. Areas forupskilling/retraining will be identified inconjunction with Small MediumEnterprises in the City, so as to correlatesupply with current demand. This will befunded by rebates based on a percentageof existing corporate rates that are paid bylocal business. This means that businesswill see direct and tangible benefit fromrate payment.

4. Community centres and amenities areoften the lifeblood of a community. Theyare particularly valuable for families,offering services to children, teenagers,mother and toddler groups, as well as asocial outlet for our older population.These facilities have been slipping away.Fine Gael will strive for an active andresourced community centre in everyvillage in Dublin. We will legislate toimpose duties on any large commercialdeveloper wishing to locate or expand inresidential areas, to provide someserviceable and beneficial communityfacilities for residents. The local PlanningAuthority in direct consultation with localresidents and public representatives willdecide upon the nature and scale of sucha required facility.

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