The PD-inspired policies in the 1997-2002 Colaition Government brought unprecedented success to Ireland:

• There are almosty 400,000 more people at work
• The rate of unemployment is down from 10% to 4%
• Long-term unemployment is effectively eliminated
• Emigration is ended

TAXATION & ECONOMY

Rapid expansion in employment, with the numbers at work growing by 100,000 in 1999 alone.

• Unemployment over halved to 4.5%, the lowest rate of unemployment since 1983.
• Taxation and social inclusion commitments of Partnership 2000 achieved a year earlier than expected.
• Successful qualifications for Economic and Monetary Union.
• £2 billion allocated to personal tax / PRSI reductions.
• Introduction of major tax reform.
• Over 176,000 people removed from the tax net over our period in office.
• Standard rate band widened by £3,000 to £17,000 for single persons.
• Percentage of taxpayers liable at the top rate of tax cut from 46% to 39%. 125,000 taxpayers removed from top rate of tax.
• Introduction of the Home Carers’ allowance of up to £3,000 per annum.
• Income threshold for the Health Levy increased.
• Over 460,000 employees to gain from new PRSI exemption introduced for low-paid workers.
• Over three budgets the standard rate of income tax reduced by 4% from 26% to 22%.
• Over three budgets the higher rate of income tax also reduced by 4% from 48% to 44%.
• Successful outcome to Berlin Summit regarding structural funds.
• National Development Plan (2000-2006) charting Ireland’s future economic and social development. The Plan provides for an unprecedented total public investment of £40.6 billion.
• Adoption of a Public Private Partnerships approach to public capital projects.
• A successor programme to Partnership 2000 successfully negotiated. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness includes pay agreements that will improve real living standards to the maximum extent.
• Package of measures to address the current inflationary pressures in the economy.
• Up to 10,000 public sector jobs to be decentralised out of Dublin. Consultations with Departments and with the unions now underway.

ENTERPRISE, TRADE & EMPLOYMENT

• Total annual increase of 102,700 (6.3%) in the number of persons at work.
• Main enterprise support agencies continue to report substantial job creation gains.
• Unemployment fallen below our target of 5%.
• Long-term unemployment successfully targeted and fallen to below 2%.
• Employment Action Plan extended to the 35-54 age group.
• FAS Employment Service substantially expanded.
• New National Training Fund being established as a new resource base.
• Comprehensive framework for the establishment of the Social Economy Programme.
• Enterprise Ireland established.
• New structures for Company Law Enforcement and regulation of the financial services sector advanced significantly.
• Comprehensive work permits regime established on a transparent legislative basis.
• Industrial Relations Bill published.
• New programme of investment in RTI (Research Technology and Innovation) as a means of enhancing innovation and competitiveness.
• £560 million Technology Foresight Fund.
• Initiatives to make Ireland ‘Telework friendly’ and show itself as a leader in the implementation of teleworking.
• Final Report of the Competition and Mergers Review Group and its recommendations currently being examined.
• Programme of reform of intellectual property law underway.
• Commitment to deliver over 50% of all newly approved greenfield jobs to the Objective 1 (BMW) Region.
• Radical revamp of the tax system to support and encourage employment.
• Business taxes lowered to provide stimulus to enterprise and employment.
• Capital Gains Tax rate reduced from 40% to 20% encouraging greater investment in business activity generally.
• Favourable agreement reached with the European Commission on the progressive introduction of a standard rate of Corporation Tax of 12.5%.

HOUSING

• Comprehensive, radical and innovative steps to ensure improved access by all income groups to housing accommodation suitable to their needs.
• Supply-boosting measures such as the Serviced Land Initiative, higher residential densities and new local authority affordable housing scheme.
• Demand-dampening measures such as the withdrawal of certain investor incentives, higher rates of stamp duty for investors and a 2% annual tax on newly acquired residential investment properties.
• Housing output in 1999 exceeded 46,500 units, up almost 10% on the previous year.
• Annual rates of increase of house prices more than halved by the first quarter of 2000.
• Unprecedented £6.9 billion allocated to social and affordable housing measures over the period to 2006.
• Planning and Development Bill under which local authorities will be able to acquire up to 20% of zoned residential land at existing use value.
• First ever 4-year multi-annual local authority housing programme.
• Disabled Person’s Grant, the Essential Repairs Grant, the Thatching Grant, the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly, the Shared Ownership Scheme and the Mortgage Allowance all significantly improved.
• Commission on the Private Rented Sector reporting in July 2000.
• Incentives introduced to encourage the provision of rented accommodation for students and incentives also available in certain urban renewal areas.
• Integrated Strategy on Homelessness launched with major increases in funding.
• Homelessness Forum to be set up in each county.
• Strong legislative base to support the provision of accommodation for the travelling community now in place.
• Comprehensive review of planning system.
• Work well underway on preparation of National Spatial Strategy.
• New Town Renewal Scheme
• Forum for the Construction Industry established and implementation of recommendations on target.

ENVIRONMENT & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Sustainable development placed at the heart of our environment programme.
• National Environmental Awareness Campaign to encourage a culture of environmentally sustainable choice in everyday life.
• Comhar, the National Sustainable Development Partnership, now an active participant in environment policy development.
• Environmental Network of Government Departments providing a focus for environmental integration across Government policies.
• Intensive and multi-faceted drive to improve water quality. Investment in 1999 up 53%.
• National Climate Change Strategy being completed.
• Proposals for placing levy on plastic bags being implemented.
• Extension of bituminous coal ban to enhance air quality protection.
• Targeted £650 million investment in waste management under the National Development Plan.
• Ambitious agenda for reform of the local government system being implemented.
• New Local Government Fund providing additional resources for local government. This year the fund amounts to about £660m, 43% above 1997.
• Greater coherence in the delivery of services at local level.
• Increased investment in the national road network, representing a 77% increase since 1997. £4.4 billion investment in national road network under NDP.
• New record investment in non-national roads with total exchequer funding of £269 million, representing an increase of 51% since 1997.
• DTI Strategy providing the framework for a wide range of initiatives to respond to Dublin’s transportation needs.
• Office of Director of Traffic established to bring greater concentration and efficiency to traffic administration within Dublin.
• Approximately £1.5 million allocated for regional traffic management measures in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.
• First ever Government-led Road Safety Strategy.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

• Closely involved in the EU accession negotiation process.
• Extension of our diplomatic representation abroad.
• Government’s Asia Strategy now being implemented.
• International drive to rekindle moves towards nuclear disarmament.
• Actively pursuing the full elimination of land mines.
• Work for reform to enable the UN to respond to the challenges facing it.
• Review and expansion of Irish aid programme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

• Second IRA ceasefire now in place three years.
• Multiparty negotiations restarted and Good Friday Agreement concluded.
• Most aspects of the Agreement implemented.
• Power-sharing Executive, the North-South Ministerial Council and its associated implementation bodies, and the British-Irish Council and Intergovernmental Conference all established.
• Basis agreed for putting IRA arms beyond use.
• Further British demilitarisation measures in the process of implementation.

EQUALITY

• Employment Equality Act in force prohibiting discrimination in the area of employment on nine grounds.
• Equal Status Act which protects against discrimination outside the field of employment.
• Equality legislation underpinned by a new Equality infrastructure.
• Equality Authority and the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations now open.
• Commitment to review and improve maternity legislation.
• New National Disability Authority established.
• Initiatives introduced to improve relationships between Travellers and the settled community.
• £250 million provided for the first ever national childcare programme with additional
• £40 million childcare funding announced recently.

IMMIGRATION & ASYLUM

• Immigration and Residence Bill to provide a comprehensive and modern legislative code covering the full range of the law on immigration and residence in the State.
• Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Bill with severe penalties.
• Readmission Agreement concluded with the Government of Romania.
• Central Directorate for Asylum Support Services established.
• Garda National Immigration Bureau with national functions in relation to combating trafficking in illegal immigrants.
• Major increase in staff resources to clear the backlog of cases.
• Initiatives aimed at ensuring the integration of refugees into society and combating racism.

HEALTH & CHILDREN

• 56% increase in health spending over three years.
• £2 billion provided under the National Development Plan for capital investment by Health Boards /Authorities in the health service.
• Comprehensive Value for Money Audit of the health system to underpin funding for service improvements.
• £23.5 million made available this year under the waiting list initiative.
• Substantial progress in implementing the recommendations of the Commission on Nursing.
• £41 million allocated towards National Cancer Strategy since 1997.
• Strong action against tobacco. Office of Tobacco Control established to monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of a plan of action.
• New Cardiolovascular Strategy aimed at reducing heart disease.
• Phase One of the national Cervical Screening Programme to commence this October.
• Nationwide rehabilitation services for drug addicts.
• Traveller Health Advisory Committee established.
• New Mental Health Bill introduced.
• National Suicide Group established together with a national research programme on attempted suicide.
• Additional acute psychiatric units and community health facilities.
• Entitlement to medical cards for persons aged over 70 years doubled.
• National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care Services established.
• Huge progress towards the establishment of a heart and lung transplant facility.
• National Children’s Strategy in preparation.
• Bill on Adoption Information, Post Adoption Contacts and associated issues approaching completion.
• Increased funding for private nursing home subvention.
• Significant investment in the development of care services for people with disabilities.

DRUGS & URBAN REGENERATION

• £30 million provided to develop youth facilities and services in areas where there is a significant drugs problem.
• Treatment facilities for heroin users dramatically increased.
• Area Based Partnerships supporting the development and empowerment of marginalised communities throughout the country.
• Ballymun Regeneration programme to ensure a new beginning for the area.
• Multi-annual programme of renewal for local authority housing put in place.
• Integrated Services Process has established radical new way of coordinating and delivering state services.
• A number of national education drug awareness initiatives implemented.
• £420 million for local development initiatives in National Development Plan.

BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY

• Significant decline in the number of Irish people experiencing deprivation.
• First ever National Minimum Wage introduced which is set at the highest level in Europe.
• Family Affairs Unit established in the Department.
• Substantial improvements in the rates of Child Benefit with a priority focus towards £100 per month for the third and subsequent children.
• New widowed parent grant of £1,000 introduced for widowed persons with children to assist them in the immediate aftermath of the loss of a spouse.
• Major increase in the Bereavement Grant from £100 to £500 to help alleviate the cost of funerals, the first increase since 1982.
• In the last 3 years, Live Register slashed to its lowest level.
• Unprecedented emphasis placed on employment supports.
• Family Income Supplement now paid on a net income basis and the Back to Education programme now benefiting 5,000 people.
• New measures to prevent early school leavers from drifting on to the Live Register.
• Main National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) goals, with an original target date of 2007, now achieved.
• More ambitious new targets set as part of our Social Inclusion Strategy. These include consistent poverty to be reduced to below 5% by 2004. Significant improvements in social welfare schemes amounting to almost £1 billion made over the past 3 years.
• In the period up to 2003, all rates of social welfare to be increased in real terms and substantial progress to be made towards a target of £100 per week for the lower rates of payments.
• On course to deliver a minimum rate of £100 per week for all social welfare old age pensioners.
• Over 3 budgets the old age contributory pension has increased by £18 per week, a 14% real increase.
• £18 million provided for the Scheme of Community Grants for Older People.
• A wider range of increases provided in terms of income supports and services for carers.
• Radical change in the provision of services for people with disabilities implemented through the mainstreaming of services within national agencies.
• A new Supported Employment Programme for people with disabilities and for supports to employers who have people with disabilities in the workforce.
• Range of measures implemented to support lone parents in returning to work.

EDUCATION

• £800 million allocated for primary and post-primary schools buildings under National Development Plan.
• Ireland one of the first countries in the world to connect all first and second-level schools to the internet.
• Development of the next phase of our Schools IT2000 Programme, involving funding of £81 million, now in progress.
• Education Technology Investment Fund established with unprecedented exchequer support.
• Specific funding for research and development in third-level institutions provided through the Department for the first time.
• Irish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences established.
• Largest ever increase in direct funding for primary schools.
• Pupil:Teacher ratios cut and teacher training places vastly increased.
• Substantial increase in funding for teacher in-career development.
• Bill to establish Teaching Council published.
• Revised primary curriculum launched, the first in 30 years.
• Comprehensive reform and resourcing package for promoting Science in schools.
• Consistent investment and development of new policies to address educational disadvantage, including a major £194 million initiative.
• First comprehensive survey on every primary school in the country to identify levels of educational disadvantage.
• Major funding for series of initiatives to identify and help children at risk of dropping out of school.
• Radical overhaul of the school attendance legislation to ensure a nationally co-ordinated approach.
• Abolition of examination fees for all families who hold a medical card.
• Publication of a White Paper on the early childhood education sector.
• Massive increase in Adult Literacy Budget from less than £0.85 million in 1997 to £7.825 million this year.
• 15% expansion in number of places in higher education.
• National Education Psychological Service Agency established.
• Package of initiatives on special education.
• Remedial teacher service extended to all primary schools.

AGRICULTURE, FOOD & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• Substantial gains for Irish agriculture and food through the Agenda 2000 Agreement and improved market access.
• Specifically targeted schemes to attract new entrants to farming, to encourage environmentally friendly farming systems and to further develop the food sector.
• Farm incomes to increase substantially this year.
• Food exports exceeded £5 billion in 1999.
• Over 400,000 cattle exported in 1999 with a further 35% growth so far this year.
• Direct payments to farmers to increase to approximately £1 billion.
• Farm Assist Scheme improved and enhanced by expanding the eligibility conditions.
• £6.7 billion investment in Rural Development over seven years.
• £25 million allocated to Teagasc.
• On-farm investment scheme and the pollution related special tax incentives re-introduced and continued promotion of the REPS Scheme.
• Fully independent Food Safety Authority established.
• Consultations underway with the social partners on the Agri-Food 2010 Report.

MARINE & NATURAL RESOURCES

• £70 million Whitefish Fleet Renewal Scheme implemented.
• New Fisheries Training Centre opened.
• Safety awareness programme for fishermen put in place.
• Irish Sea Cod Recovery Programme, Phase 1, successfully negotiated.
• National Common Fisheries Policy Review Group set up.
• New licensing regime and an Independent Appeals Board to ensure a sustainable fish farming industry.
• £25 million provided in the National Development Plan to support investment in aquaculture.
• New inland fisheries management structures and institutions provided for in Fisheries Amendment Act, 1999.
• New £30 million National Maritime College at Ringaskiddy approved by Government.
• Irish Coast Guard established.
• National Coastal Zone Management Policy and Implementation Framework being prepared.
• A £21 million survey of the Irish seabed launched.
• First ever Strategy for Marine Research and Development, with the aim of creating 7,000 jobs, published.
• Active support for oil and gas exploration off our coast.
• Approximately £500 million has been allocated to afforestation incentives under the NDP.

DEFENCE

• White Paper on Defence, the first in the history of the State, published.
• This involves the reshaping of the Defence Organisation, based on a revised total manpower level of 10,500 for the Permanent Defence Force.
• Commitment to delegate the day to day administration from the Department of Defence to the Defence Forces largely met.
• Policy of continuous recruitment now well in place and target figure for continuous recruiting of 1,500 personnel, to be well exceeded.
• Recruitment programme encompassing Naval Service and the Air Corps.
• £250 million investment programme in equipment and infrastructure.
• Significant steps taken to provide the basis for the future development of Civil Defence.

ETHICS

• Series of investigations established under the Companies Act, 1990.
• Review Group on Auditing report completed.
• Standards in Public Office Bill published which will establish a Standards in Public Office Commission to watch over our democratic institutions.
• This highly significant legislative measure provides for tax clearance certification not only for politicians, but also senior public servants and the judiciary.
• It provides for the preparation of codes of conduct, which set out the highest ethical standards for those in public life.
• Local Government (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act, 1999, enacted, which provides for the disclosure of donations over £500 to candidates in Local Elections.
• Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill published. Penalties are severe with unlimited fines and up to ten years in jail.
• Local Government Bill, 2000, sets out for the first time a comprehensive ethics framework / standards regime for Local Government covering both officials and elected councillors.
• Further ambitious programme of extensions of the Freedom of Information Act over the next 12 months.
• Commitment to bring forward legislation to deal with the issue of lobbying and donations to political parties and candidates.

TOURISM & SPORT

• Foreign visitor numbers break 6 million figure for the first time.
• Foreign earning from tourism at an all-time high of £2.5 billion, representing an increase of over 30% since 1997.
• Tourism now provides jobs for 135,000 people, or one in every twelve people in the workforce.
• Major new promotional and destination marketing campaigns.
• First ever Tourism Marketing Fund with a provision of £150 million over the period of the National Development Plan.
• Funding of £100 million in NDP to specifically support new investment in tourism product development in underdeveloped and developing regions.
• Further £100 million in NDP to help address challenges in training, recruitment and staff retention in the tourism sector.
• Sport a central element of our Social Inclusion strategy.
• Fourfold increase in sports funding ensuring the development of local and national facilities, including the long awaited 50 metre swimming pool.
• Landmark commitment to build a new national stadium that will match the best facilities anywhere else in the world.
• Funding for the local authority swimming pool programme increased from £3 million in 1999 to £15 million per year for 2000-2002.
• New National Sports Council established.
• National anti-doping programme now in place.
• Ireland successful in bid to host 2003 Special Olympics.

ARTS, HERITAGE, GAELTACHT & THE ISLANDS

• Arts Council funding 34% over and above 1997 allocation.
• Largest ever annual increase in Arts Council funding.
• Completion of the first Arts Plan a full year ahead of the timescale set out by the previous government.
• Comprehensive independent review carried out in order to help inform the development of a new Arts Plan.
• Unprecedented financial commitment of £100m over the period of the Plan (1999 – 2001) to allow the Arts Council to implement this Plan in full.
• School curriculum to place more emphasis on cultural and artistic activities.
• Film Industry Strategy Review Group established to formulate proposals for a strategic plan for the future of the industry.
• Screen Commission to promote Ireland as a location and centre of excellence for film-making.
• Independent and autonomous Academy for the Performing Arts.
• Major Broadcasting Bill before the Dáil.
• Major Events Television Coverage Bill to protect the viewing of major domestic sporting events on free air to television.
• National Heritage Plan in the final phase of completion.
• Publication of Wildlife Bill promised by successive Governments for the last 14 years.
• Major review of implementation of Habitats Directive with regard to Special Areas of Conservation.
• Implementation of most comprehensive set of measures for the protection of our architectural heritage since the foundation of the State.
• Waterways Ireland established under the British Irish Agreement Act, 1999.
• Interdepartmental Committee on Islands, Gaeltacht and Irish Language to ensure policies implemented effectively.
• Major legislative programme in relation to the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.
• Work now commenced on the Official Languages Equality Bill.
• Cutbacks under the previous government in investment programmes in access for offshore islands and infrastructural improvements in Gaeltacht areas reversed.

TRANSPORT

• Active promotion of all forms of public transport by increasing investment..
• National Development Plan sets out a £2.2 billion medium term investment strategy.
• Investment priorities include implementation of DTO plans, including quality bus corridors, LUAS, DART and commuter rail extensions; the improvement of park and ride facilities and more extended services to meet growing public need.
• DART capacity to increase by almost 40% and suburban rail by over 25%.
• £1.6 billion investment in the Greater Dublin Area over the period of the NDP.
• Bus fleet to increase by 28%.
• Four Quality Bus corridors now in operation, a further five scheduled for completion during 2000.
• Independent consultancy review of the bus network to point the way forward for future development.
• Short-term strategy and longer-term development programme to address suburban rail development in Dublin.
• Further progress made in regard to the provision of light rail network for Dublin.
• National Plan makes full provision for the implementation of enhanced and extended light rail network. £50 million set aside to promote integration of public transport in a practical way.
• Progress on revitalisation of mainline railway network based on Government commitment to retain all of the existing rail network.
• Provision for investment of £500 million in mainline rail over the period of NDP.
• This includes a sum of £350 million for the continuation of the Railway Safety Programme of which £100 million has been allocated for year 2000.
• £150 million earmarked for the regional transport system.
• Approval of review of regulation of the Bus Market by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructural Development and Public Private Partnerships.
• New air services on all routes encouraged.
• First ever regulator for the aviation sector appointed.

PUBLIC ENTERPRISE – E-COMMERCE

• Agreement entered into with Global Crossing to connect Ireland seamlessly on the Global Crossing network to 36 European cities and the US.
• World-class telehouse under construction.
• E-Commerce Act, which legislates for electronic contracts and signatures, now law.
• Progress on the North-South Digital Corridor continues to be made.
• Joint US-Ireland Communiqué on Electronic Commerce.
• Ireland’s first E-Commerce Attaché to Washington appointed.
• Long-awaited Commission for Electricity Regulation to oversee the sector.
• Green Paper on Sustainable Energy published and many of its recommendations being implemented through NDP.
• Renewable Energy Strategy Group to examine all aspects of, and obstacles to the further development of all renewable energy technologies.
• Actively pursuing the establishment of an EU Agency to audit and monitor the safety of nuclear installations across the EU.