PBP expecting parties to 'steal its clothes' and pledges

Glad rags at the ready and political outfits carefully picked out, People Before Profit-Solidarity are - like all other candidates - doing their best to impress in General Election 2024.

And what better opportunity to do so than on Thursday, when it became the latest party to prowl down the political catwalk for the launch of its election manifesto.

The 40-page document outlines the key policies People Before Profit-Solidarity wants to campaign on between now and Friday 29 November, and that it wants to see introduced in the next Dáil.

All of which it was keen to highlight at a centrepiece press conference in Buswell's Hotel - once, that is, it checked to make sure it still had something left in the wardrobe to wear to the political ball.

"[Former Socialist Party TD] Joe Higgins famously said [former Fianna Fáil leader and taoiseach] Bertie Ahern had stolen his clothes," People Before Profit-Solidarity's Paul Murphy told reporters at the start of the group's General Election manifesto press conference.

"And in this election a number of parties are borrowing People Before Profit's clothes, and I say 'borrowing' because its only for a three-week period, after which it will be quickly forgotten."

While disputed, the party's view is clear: it believes other parties copy some of its more publicly eye-catching policies to win over voters who, People Before Profit-Solidarity argue, would find a better fit with it.

The question now though is, with a slew of parties also glamming up during the election in a bid to catch the eye of voters, by the end of this month will People Before Profit-Solidarity's latest policy garments be seen as starting a new trend or being a fashion faux pas?

Daily life

Understandably enough for a party whose election slogan is "Another Ireland Is Possible", much of People Before Profit-Solidarity's manifesto is focused on helping those most in need.

That includes housing, which the party said it would officially declare an emergency if elected.

Among its housing policies are to use the Apple tax money to establish a State construction company - a plan it argues other parties have copied in recent years - which could build 30,000 social homes and 5,000 affordable homes every year.

It also said it would remove income limits for public housing, increase the renters tax credit to €3,000, re-introduce the eviction ban, outlaw short-term letting, cap mortgage interest rates at 3% and develop an NCT-style certification system to ensure private rental property standards.

The party also believes the cost of living crisis is damaging ordinary households, an issue Mr Murphy raised at the election manifesto press conference.

Read more: What is in the People Before Profit-Solidarity manifesto?

In order to address this People Before Profit-Solidarity said it would cap food prices, cut electricity bills by returning ESB to a not-for-profit company, raise the weekly pension rate to €300, introduce a €15 an hour living wage, and extend fuel allowance eligibility to all pensioners and anyone in receipt of the working family payment and carers allowance.

Workers' rights are also high on the party's agenda, with plans to introduce a potential four-day week without the loss of pay, raise the number of holidays to 30 days, ensure mandatory maternity and paternity pay, and ensure a mandatory pension scheme for all jobs.

And, of course, there is the ongoing party policy to scrap the Universal Social Charge for anyone earning less than €100,000 a year.

How, we hear you ask, does People Before Profit-Solidarity plan to pay for all of this?

The party says the USC change would be paid for by the introduction of a multi-millionaires tax, while other policies could be afforded by creating four new tax bands on top earners to raise €4bn a year, introducing higher PRSI rates for employers to raise over €3bn a year, and to raise corporation tax to 20% for large companies, which it said would bring in another €20bn annually.

Public services

Public services are also high on People Before Profit-Solidarity's agenda, including issues affecting education, childcare, the health service and public transport.

On education, the party says it would abolish school fees, ban voluntary contribution requests from schools, double the primary school capitation grant, and give school pupils free books, uniforms and meals.

It said it also wants to introduce a 15:1 teacher-pupil ratio, increase the number of special needs assistants by 2,000 and special education teachers by 1,000, double funding for DEIS schools, end subsidies to private schools and end what it said is church control of education.

When it comes to childcare the party is equally keen for change, saying it wants to end private childcare fees, establish a National Childcare Service to provide free childcare to anyone who needs it, and give every parent the right to 12 months paid leave in the first two years of a child's life.

Health too is also given a detailed diagnosis, with People Before Profit-Solidarity seeking a single tier entirely public system.

The party is also seeking the introduction of free primary care for all, the reversal of the centralisation of emergency departments, an end to charges and fees for prescriptions and car parking, and a sustainable funding model for children's hospice care.

And in terms of public transport, the party says if it enters government, it would end fares to encourage use of trains and buses, ring-fence €500m for the rapid expansion of bus services, fast track all rail and infrastructure projects, and double the capital investment in public transport.

A wider national and global view

In keeping with People Before Profit-Solidarity's international view of politics, the party's manifesto also touches on areas including climate action, immigration and neutrality, among others.

It said it would help to address climate difficulties by introducing a 50% windfall tax on the profits of energy companies, investing €5bn in renewable energies, banning new data centres, ending the nitrates derogation and replacing the carbon tax with a levy on "big polluters".

On immigration, it says it would oppose all attacks on refugees and asylum seekers, end deportations, end direct provision, give asylum seekers the right to work, and establish the right to family re-unification for immigrants who have spent time in Ireland.

And on the issue of neutrality and global affairs, the party said it wants to ensure there is no attempt to end Ireland's triple lock neutrality system, end the use of Shannon airport by the US military, withdraw Ireland from PESCO, boycott Israel, call for peace talks to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pass the Occupied Territories Bill.

Closer to home the party has also made societal change commitments, including a desire for three referenda - on keeping water services in public ownership, on the right to a healthy environment, and on the repeal of the 27th amendment to the Constitution in order to allow all children born in Ireland the right to Irish citizenship.

Trend or faux pas

Answering questions from reporters at its manifesto launch media conference, People Before Profit-Solidarity leader Richard Boyd Barrett said he believes the policies "match the aspirations of people".

Mr Boyd Barrett said that in his view "100 years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is enough", adding "another Ireland is possible" and that in his view only left wing parties can address the issues affecting housing, cost of living, and public services.

That view will be disputed by some other parties, many of whom may point out that - like with almost all election manifestos from any party - at least some of People Before Profit-Solidarity's detailed election promises come with less detailed price tags.

But, just like clothes and fashion, when it comes to election manifestos that's often the point - the price doesn't count so much as the aspiration involved.

Something People Before Profit-Solidarity will be hoping its policies have planted in people's minds, as it sashays down the catwalk in front of potential voters and in the belief other parties are still coveting its political clothes.