Fine Gael election manifesto rows back on Varadkar pledge for 10 paid sick days

Fine Gael has rowed back on plans to introduce 10 days of mandatory sick leave in its manifesto.

Taoiseach Simon Harris also defended that some children from more affluent areas could have over €53,316 in a State-backed savings account when they turn 18 while other children whose parents cannot afford to top up the account will have little more than €3,000.

Mr Harris launched his party’s general election manifesto in Horse and Jockey, Tipperary, on Sunday afternoon.

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The manifesto's main highlights included recruiting 6,000 new gardaí, delivering 300,000 homes, and creating a permanent double Child Benefit payment each August.

Over a five-year term, Fine Gael stated it will increase the higher 40% tax entry point to €54,000, as well as raise the entry threshold for the 3% USC band from €27,382 to €40,000, and the entry threshold for the 8% USC band from €70,044 to €75,000.

However, the party has rowed back on a promise made by former Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar when he was Enterprise Minister to introduce 10 paid sick leave days by 2026.

Employees are currently entitled to up to five days’ employer-paid sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross salary up to a cap of €110 per day.

The Fine Gael manifesto says it will “retain sick leave at five days per year”

The Irish Mirror put it to Mr Harris that this would impact lower-paid workers who may not benefit from tax cuts to the extent higher earners would.

The Taoiseach acknowledged that it was a “change in approach”.

Mr Harris said: “We also have to make sure that we protect jobs. What we have said is we’ll carry out an analysis in terms of economic impact before it moves further.

“At the moment, the plan is to leave it at the five days.”

He continued: “We're continuing to do other things that help people, whether it's child benefit, whether it's the childcare changes. We're proposing abolishing the prescription charges for free GP care.”

Mr Harris said that measures such as sick days have “real impact” on businesses.

Fine Gael also vowed to launch the “Acorn savings account” for every newborn. This would see an initial contribution of €1,000 with an interest rate of 4% per annum.

“Each child from a family receiving child support payments gets €1,500,” it added.

Parents can add up to €2,000 per year to their child’s account, meaning it could reach €53,316 by the time the child turns 18.

If a disadvantaged child gets €1,500 and their parents cannot afford to add more money, they would get €3,000 when they turn 18.

When Mr Harris was asked if this was unfair, he said the fund was being set up to “foster a culture of saving.”

Mr Harris also said he supported a second tier of Child Benefit and has asked to have the matter examined.

Fine Gael's manifesto also contained no promise to introduce Hate Speech. When asked about this by the Irish Mirror, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said it had been "was clear is that there was not a consensus in the previous government" on the matter.

She added: "We need to explore, engage with each other and identify ways in which we can deal with what is becoming a growing problem in our society."

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that it was “little wonder” that Fine Gael would “seek to favour the better off”.

Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers, meanwhile, said he was “concerned about the provision of public services under Fine Gael’s proposals”.

This included, he said, a “failure to fund any extra health care staff above existing levels of service”.

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