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1998 Assembly Election - SDLP Manifesto
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Now, Say Yes To
A Future Together
SDLP Manifesto
Assembly Election 25th June
1998
Contents
Introduction
The SDLP in a New Administration
Constitutional Issues
The Assembly and the Executive
North/South Structures
British/Irish Council
Social and Economic Development
Agriculture and Rural Development
Tourism
Education
Health and Social Care
Social Security
Protecting the Environment
Housing
Equality and Partnership
- Women
- Senior Citizens
- People with Disabilities
- Children and Young People
- Fair Employment
Building the New Europe
Conclusion
NOW, SAY YES TO A FUTURE TOGETHER
Introduction
The Good Friday Agreement, ratified overwhelmingly by the people
of Ireland, north and south on May 22nd, is the key to our future.
The Agreement is rooted in the fundamental principles of the SDLP.
It addresses the basic problems of our divided society and provides
a framework for solving them. It establishes new relationships:
relationships in the North of Ireland between nationalists and
unionists; relationships between the north and south of Ireland;
and relationships between the people of Ireland and Britain. The
Agreement protects the right of the people of the north of Ireland
to the identity, ethos and way of life of their choice.
The SDLP is proud of its role in bringing the Agreement about.
Now we seek the support of the people to make its provisions work.
The Agreement is not a victory for one part of our society over
another. A strong SDLP presence in the new Assembly and the North/South
Ministerial Council is essential to make the Agreement work, to
ensure its provisions and to enter into a new era of partnership
and fundamental change. The Agreement commits the representatives
of both sections of our community to work together in our substantial
common interest. We will do so, and in so doing, we will also
harness the massive international goodwill, particularly in the
economic sphere, for the benefit of all our people.
The SDLP in a New Administration
For the first time in twenty five years the SDLP enters an election
which will see it in a partnership administration. In accordance
with SDLP policy the Agreement ensures that all the people of
Northern Ireland are empowered, through institutions based on
a new partnership between our communities, to shape our own future
economically and socially as well as politically. Both our major
communities will be represented at all levels in the new administration
of Northern Ireland in a way that reflects their democratic mandates.
In the new administration the SDLP will play its part in working
to implement the proposals of the Agreement in all the major issues
- new political structures, human rights, reform of police and
justice, prisoners, the demilitarisation of society, and of course,
socio-economic development.
Constitutional Issues
Since its foundation the SDLP has been committed to the principle
that it is for the people of Ireland alone, with the consent of
both parts of the island respectively, freely and concurrently
given, to determine their relationships with each other and with
the people of Britain. Our party constitution, drawn up in 1970,
enshrined that principle and set the SDLP's face firmly against
coercion to bring about constitutional change. On May 22nd the
people of all of Ireland exercised their right of self determination.
They emphatically and overwhelmingly endorsed the principles of
consent and democracy and expressed their utter rejection of the
use of violence to pursue political objectives. This has been
and remains the consistent policy of the SDLP.
The Assembly and the Executive
The SDLP will enter the Assembly and the administration of Northern
Ireland to secure social and economic justice for all. Our party
negotiators in the all-party talks ensured that the new body would
be effective, would be genuinely committed to responsibility sharing
and would be operated on the principle of 'parallel consent' so
that key decisions, in both the Assembly and the Executive will
be taken on a cross community basis. We will review the structure
of administration of Northern Ireland so that the terms of the
Agreement may be implemented fully. We seek the return of the
maximum number of SDLP candidates at this election to make the
Assembly, the Executive and the other new institutions created
by the Agreement, work positively and effectively. This is particularly
vital in the transitional, or 'shadow' phase of the Assembly's
life when attempts will undoubtedly be made to wreck the establishment
of new institutions, by those who refuse to heed or accept the
democratic verdict of the people.
North/South Structures
As proposed by the SDLP there will be a North/South Ministerial
Council in which Ministers from both parts of Ireland will meet
to consult and take decisions by agreement on a wide range of
matters of mutual concern and interest. Supported by a Secretariat,
and by Implementation Bodies which will report directly to it,
the Council will be a powerful agent for co-ordinating and developing
policies to meet needs in both parts of the island. The model
for the Council's operation is that of the European Council of
Ministers and it is one that has been long advocated by the SDLP.
In the negotiations the SDLP ensured that North/South institutions
and the Assembly will be established at the same time and that
neither can exist without the other. The SDLP will work constructively
in the Ministerial Council to achieve the maximum harmonisation
of social and economic provision throughout Ireland.
British/Irish Council
A consultative British/Irish Council is to be established under
a new British/Irish agreement to promote the harmonious and mutually
beneficial development of the totality of relationships among
the people of these islands. SDLP representatives will play a
full part in the workings of the Council.
Social and Economic Development
Social and economic development will be central to SDLP activity
in the new institutions and we will continue to develop our strong
links with both the United States and Europe in order to assist
us in our major socio-economic task. The economic and social costs
of the violence, instability and division in our society have
been enormous. Economic investment and development have been retarded
and the creation of severely marginalised and disadvantaged sections
of all the community has resulted. The SDLP has always insisted
that the creation of a viable and productive economy in Northern
Ireland must be a primary aim of politics and would lessen if
not remove the fertile seeds of mistrust and conflict. The SDLP
has always highlighted the need for cross border economic co-operation
and partnership and believes that the new cross border institutions
brought into being by the Agreement offers an unparalleled opportunity
to begin to tackle the serious inequities in the economy particularly
in border regions.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- a long term economic development strategy for effective planning
- fiscal powers for the Assembly
- the encouragement of enterprise in all sections of the economy
- the establishment of a constructive and structured relationship
between the public and private sectors
- the development of a system of education to offer life long
learning, quality training for the workforce and a dynamic link
between education, training and the economy
- a strategic approach to developing north/south links, paying
particular regard to cross border initiatives in tourism, agriculture
and industry
- a strategic approach to exploiting the full potential of our
membership of the European Union
- the amalgamation of the IDB and LEDU to maximise and better
focus the drive for industrial development
- the inclusion of the social partners - the unemployed, the
trade unions and employers - in economic planning and decision
making
Agriculture and Rural Development
The SDLP is seriously concerned about the decline in farm incomes
brought about by the BSE crisis and the strong value of sterling.
The SDLP wishes to see farm incomes increase but believes that
it is important that the industry is mindful of the challenges
of the modern competitive global market and the need for diversification
of the rural economy generally in the face of the next round of
CAP reform and EU enlargement under Agenda 2000.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- the protection of agricultural incomes and rural communities
under further reforms of the CAP
- a vigorous international marketing campaign to counter the
serious effects of the BSE ban on the existing markets
- diversification of the rural economy and adequate assistance
in promoting diversification initiatives
- the availability of proper advisory services for rural areas
and for agriculture
- adequate resources for the rural development council
- adequate resources to tackle poor housing condition.
- the completion of electrification and mains water schemes
in rural areas
- assistance for the horticultural industry to help it meet
the challenges posed by the arrival of the major supermarket chains
- a development policy for rural industry to ensure environmentally-friendly
industries in rural areas
- the protection of the landscape and heritage of rural areas
- strong links between rural development and tourism
Tourism
The SDLP believes that tourism offers very significant opportunities
for economic development and job creation. The full working of
the Agreement and a peaceful environment will maximise the potential
of a comprehensive tourism strategy.
- In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- an integrated approach from the different parts of the tourism
sector to market a coherent and attractive product and quality
facilities
- harmonisation of the promotion strategies of the Northern
Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Failte to maximise the benefits
of an all Ireland tourist strategy
- the identification, preservation and protection of tourist
assets to ensure that their full potential is realised through
strategic planning
Education
The SDLP regards education as a necessary foundation for an active
responsible citizenship. The education system should be based
on principles of equality of opportunity, respect for children
and learners and parents' rights. The objective of policy must
be the establishment and maintenance of a flexible system which
achieves quality education and training for children and adults
as well as providing for parental rights and parental choice.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- comprehensive nursery education
- the end of selection at 11
- the preservation of rural schools
- the abolition of misleading and uninformative "league
tables" from schools
- the abolition of student loans and the introduction of a proper
grants system
- life long learning strategies to target parents, the unemployed
and the poorly qualified
- the development of community education initiatives
- a higher priority for Education for Mutual Understanding initiatives
Health and Social Care
The SDLP recognise that there are a number of major issues and
problems in health and social care. Health is not exclusively
related to individual factors, but has a strong social and economic
dimension. There are major inequalities in health and care between
social classes and a link between the prevention of ill health,
income, education and housing. Real health and social gain can
only be achieved by reducing poverty and inequality.
There is significant underfunding of health and care, particularly
in comparison to other European countries, and the cumulative
impact of underfunding, year on year, has had a deleterious impact
on the health and social services available to our people.
The Health and Personal Social Services have become burdened with
expensive overheads associated with a complex and inappropriate
bureaucracy.
In addition the internal market and the contracting process is
proving to be complex and expensive. Contracting on an annual
basis is irrelevant to and fails to address the longer term strategic
planning requirements.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- an effective strategy to recognise the underlying links between
health, poverty and income, between health and education and health
and housing and the general environment
- an effective strategy to prevent ill-health through education,
housing, economic and environmental policies
- an adequately funded NHS and reduced waiting lists
- equal and effective access to health and social care services
for all areas throughout Northern Ireland
- the management of health services in such a way that the maximum
level of resources is available to health and care professionals
instead of being lost in unnecessary layers of administration
- a radical overhaul of the internal market with 3-5 year commissioning
plans being developed
- a clear strategy for investment in the physical and clinical
infrastructure needed to support primary care
- the right of informal carers to have a separate assessment
of their needs carried out, and appropriate services developed
to support them.
- the reduction of the number of HPSS organisations including
the number of trusts and their organisational boundaries changed
to ensure that they are integrated providers of health and social
care, providing integrated, acute and community services in a
Health and Personal Social Services Common Services Agency.
- the development of a 3-5 year strategic plan to incorporate
administrative reform, an investment strategy and a clear commissioning
framework, tied to research based indicators of health and social
gain.
Social Security
Within the context of social and employment policies the broad
objectives of the social security system must be to prevent
poverty and allow a choice for work.
The social security system must provide the means for the poor,
the elderly and the unemployed to meet basic needs.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- a system of benefits and pensions designed to meet basic needs
and ensure access to other types of social provision such as housing,
health, social care, training and education.
- efffective policy co-ordination between social security, health,
the economy, education and housing.
- a minimum wage.
- a relationship between the tax system, the social security
system and the pricing policy for basic services, such as housing,
that does not create poverty traps.
- monitoring of the New Deal project to ensure effectiveness,
fairness and delivery of proper jobs.
- an increase in the basic Retirement Pension, with the restoration
of the link between inflation and average earnings.
- the restoration of the value of Child Benefit in real terms
to what it was in 1987 when it was frozen.
- the restoration of the right to Income Support for 16 to 17
year olds.
- the replacement of the Social Fund by a system of grants as
a legal right linked to an appeals system and discretionary grants
for emergencies.
- a Comprehensive Disability Income Scheme.
- an end to the capping of Housing Benefit.
- access to adequate support with mortgage interest re-payments
immediately mortgage holders become unemployed.
- an end to the restrictive points system used in assessing
Incapacity Benefit.
- the continuation of the Independent Tribunal service and the
right of the individual to appeal to the service.
- opposition to the privatisation of the Social Security Agency.
Protecting the Environment
Effective policy interventions in the environment will have both
a national and an international dimension. Pollution of the air
and contamination of the seas do not stop at national borders.
It is the SDLP's view that national and international policy must
work in harmony and on the basis of the following principles.
The principle of social justice must be applied in the
implementation of environmental polices at all levels, nationally
and internationally.
Secondly the principle of harmony. Policies on social and
economic development need to harmonise with the self-sustaining
and regenerating processes of the bio-sphere.
Thirdly the principle of sustainability to ensure that
development does not degrade our environment.
Fourthly the principle of bio-diversity to sustain the
natural eco-systems and habitats, the wilderness, and ultimately
the life support systems of the planet.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- the maintenance of clean air and water.
- the protection of existing wilderness, native habitats, countryside,
landscape and wildlife.
- the development and improvement in bio-diversity by creating
natural (native) habitats for wildlife, recreation and leisure.
- the efficient and effective use of natural resources such
as water and land and the elimination of wasteful processes.
- action to maintain macro life support systems- climate and
air.
- maintenance and protection of existing wilderness.
- effective management of waste.
- protection of landscape.
- efficient use of all resources by re-cycling.
- an end to the use of nuclear power in the production of energy
and the closure of Sellafield nuclear plant.
Housing
Housing must be part of any serious plan designed to tackle poverty,
marginalisation and social exclusion. An effective housing strategy
will address three broad areas, housing, policy, funding and housing
administration.
The SDLP believes that the system of housing administration, centred
on the Housing Executive, has been fair and effective in the delivery
of a housing service.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- the Housing Executive to remain as the single comprehensive
housing authority for Northern Ireland, assessing need and building,
managing and allocating houses on the basis of need and priority
- effective regulatory control of housing associations by the
Housing Executive to cover rent levels, standards and quality
of dwellings and the allocation of houses
- the allocation of all public sector housing, including that
of the housing associations as well as those of the Housing Executive
through a single waiting list and single selection scheme controlled
and managed by the Housing Executive
- policies to ensure high quality and standards in the building,
maintenance and improvements of all dwellings
- restoration of the Housing Executive budget
- an adequate new build budget for the Housing Executive
- adequate help with mortgage re-payments for owner-occupiers
who become unemployed
- increased security of tenure in the private rented furnished
sector
- policies and programmes to improve rural housing conditions
- an end to mixed funding for housing associations because of
its potential negative impact on rent levels and the quality and
space standards in housing
- a low rent policy in public sector housing
- an end to plans to dismantle the existing legislation on homelessness
- an end to the transfer of Housing Executive new build schemes
to housing associations
- an end to compulsory competitive tendering of Housing Executive
housing management
- an end to capping of housing benefits for private sector tenants
Equality and Partnership
The SDLP recognises that equality issues between the communities
are matters of fundamental importance, but we also recognise that
within and cutting across the two main communities are other groupings
- those defined by deprivation and unemployment and by gender,
race, age or disability.
Clearly inequality and marginalisation can be defined in political,
economic or social terms. The SDLP recognises that inequality
is a complex and changing phenomenon. It is the SDLP view that
an effective strategy to address these issues will be multi-dimensional,
involving structural elements, legislation, changes in process,
target-setting, monitoring, public education programmes and new
tolerant attitudes.
- at the level of policy the strategy will be based on ensuring
access to services based on need, access to jobs based on merit
established through an open recruitment procedure and objective
assessment at an interview, and access to public space based on
a right of mobility for the disabled. At the same time policy
will seek to encourage sharing and partnerships across the communities
- at a structural level of governance and administration it
will involve partnership, powersharing and general sharing between
both major political traditions in the public sector and effective
choice for individuals operating in the private sector who wish
to share and integrate
- at the legislative level it will require effective legislation
to outlaw discrimination against vulnerable groups and ensure
equal treatment including an overarching Bill of Rights
- at the level of process it will require radical changes in
how policies are developed and implemented and will involve mainstreaming
to achieve the objectives identified such as PAFT and TSN
- within the above context an effective strategy will include
target - setting and monitoring to ensure that the agreed objectives
are met
The SDLP wants to see effective and fully resourced Equality Commissions
to deal with complaints based on gender, religion, age, disability,
sexual orientation, martial status and dependants.
Women
The SDLP is deeply concerned by the fact that after twenty years
of sex discrimination and equal pay legislation there is still
a need for a strong lobby on women's issues.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- independent legal status for women married to working men
and the end to inequalities experienced by women in the social
security system
- a major overhaul of the law on sex discrimination and equal
pay, to produce a single comprehensive piece of legislation
- the adoption of the Social Chapter, the implementation of
a minimum wage and guaranteed rights for all workers, regardless
of contractual status
- better rights and conditions for all parents in the workforce
- universally available childcare
- Increased confidence-building and training opportunities to
be directed at women wishing to enter or re-enter the job-market
- a co-ordinated childcare-training strategy to enable parents
to train while childcare is available
- new Sex Offences legislation
Senior Citizens
The SDLP believes that the good health, independence and well-being
of senior citizens must be a top priority and are concerned that
today's pensioners are being forced to live on such meagre pensions.
The SDLP wants to see an end to the discrimination against older
people in the workplace. As well as being grossly unjust, such
discrimination is costly and inefficient.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- an increase in pensions, and a government commitment to assess
the needs of senior citizens and provide satisfactory benefits
- an end to VAT on heating fuel, and in the interim, exemption
for pensioners
- high quality health-care provided free to all pensioners
- subsidised electricity and telephone rental and rates and
a new offence to make it illegal to disconnect the telephone or
electricity supply of pensioners without getting a court order
- free security chains, door and window locks and alarms for
senior citizens
- training schemes for people of all ages, and new legal provisions
to outlaw discrimination in the job-market solely on the grounds
of age
- an awareness raising scheme to deal with the one third of
pensioners who are not claiming all the money they are owed
People with Disabilities
In the new Administration will work for:
- a single, comprehensive and simplified benefits scheme and
a guaranteed reasonable standard of living for all those either
partly or totally prevented from working with as much independence
as possible
- adequate resources for the Commission on Disabilities with
the power to take individual cases, and legal aid for claimants
- improved access for children with disabilities in schools,
to ensure that they are given the education they deserve to enable
them to fulfil their potential
Children and Young People
The SDLP does not accept that there can be any compromise or two-tier
system where the rights of children and young people are concerned.
The SDLP is committed to the principle that, regardless of the
wealth of the family, all children must be guaranteed a good minimum
standard of living, and given the best possible education, health-care
and opportunities to develop their potential.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- an end to child poverty and disadvantage
- proper funding to ensure the effective implementation of the
Children's Order
- the DHSS and DENI to co-ordinate efforts in relation to youth
needs including a strategy on lone-parents, benefit levels, benefit
to work transition, and training and employment
- urgent action to deal with the dramatic inequalities in child
health in Northern Ireland
- ex gratia payments for victims of child abuse who come forward
after the three year deadline from their 18th birthday
Race Relations
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- proper funding to ensure the effective implementation of the
new Race Relations legislation
- a radical re-think on site-provision for Travellers to ensure
that all families have the right to basic amenities guaranteed
- the inclusion of an ethnic grouping question on the next census
form for the North in order to make an accurate assessment of
the needs of the various minority ethnic communities
- the introduction into Northern Irish law of the offences dealing
with racial violence and harassment
- the provision of adequate resources to meet the needs of the
minority ethnic communities, particularly in the fields of health,
education and social services
- the establishment of a European Union Centre to monitor racism
Fair Employment
Since its formation the SDLP has highlighted employment differentials
as a fundamental cause of the social division in the North. Unfortunately
much remains to be done and the Fair Employment Commission's Annual
Report highlights the fact that Catholics are still hugely over-represented
amongst the lowest paid, the unemployed, and particularly the
long-term unemployed.
The Employment Equality Review, co-ordinated by the Standing Advisory
Commission on Human Rights, highlighted the growing consensus
around the need for attention to be focused more on equality-related
measures than on the Fair Employment legislation itself.
In the new Administration the SDLP will work for:
- legal aid for applicants making challenges under Fair Employment
legislation and the tightening up of targets and time-tables for
achieving equality in the job market
- the implementation of the recommendations of the Standing
Advisory Commission on Human Rights review "Employment Equality:
Building for the Future.
Building the New Europe
The SDLP is fully supportive of the new Europe that is gradually
being constructed on the basis of co-operation and integration.
We believe this should end, once and for all, the causes of the
conflicts which engulfed Europe this century.
The SDLP is also fully aware that economically European integration
- the single market and single currency, offers great opportunity
for Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The SDLP will work along with our allies in the Socialist Group
in the European Parliament to pursue the following specific objectives:
- the Union must be inclusive
- it must remain competitive
- it must be more democratic
- offer involvement and participation for the citizens of Europe
in the running of the Union
- it must be able to deal with ethnic tensions which might arise
as a consequence of labour mobility
- the Union must have effective policies to protect the environment
and public health
- it must pursue policies of sustainable development
- the European Union must work in the interests of the people
of Ireland and Northern Ireland
It will be the intention of the SDLP that the Assembly and North/South
Council will establish a direct relationship with the Union institutions.
Specifically:
- the SDLP will continue to fully support and develop the European
social dimension and the Social Chapter. We support the establishment
of a legal basis for the promotion and protection of the rights
of workers to adequate earnings, safe working environment and
to democratically organise and represent themselves, as well as
the enhancement of the position of working parents
- the SDLP will continue to support a "Europe of the Regions"
and to ensure that Northern Ireland plays its role in this development
and benefits fully from it
- the SDLP will play its full part in the process leading up
to another round of Structural Funds and in the debate on the
further reform of the CAP. We will work to ensure that Northern
Ireland benefits fully from both the Structural Funds and CAP
- the SDLP supports European Monetary Union as essential for
the fair and effective operation of the single market and for
European integration
- the SDLP will approach the enlargement of the EU on a case
by case basis, but always within the context of greater integration
in the Union
- to increase stability and strengthen peace, the SDLP will
support measures and structures that lead to positive and constructive
relations with its neighbours in Eastern Europe and Eurasia and
will support the EU playing a positive role in resolving ethnic,
national and political conflicts in Europe, the Middle East and
elsewhere
Conclusion
The SDLP stands for social democratic values. For the first time
in a generation we fight an election knowing that, at its conclusion,
we will be part of a partnership administration of Northern Ireland
and between North and South.. It is essential that the strongest
possible number of SDLP candidates is returned on June 25th to
ensure that the Agreement is worked positively and effectively
and that the policy ideals and practical objectives outlined in
this manifesto begin to work in practice for the benefit of all
our people.
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