Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have committed to forming a “historic coalition” that “works for the good of Ireland and its people” with Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar swapping roles.
The two parties have agreed a Policy Framework Document that insists there is “no going back to the old way of doing things” and commits to taking radical actions in government in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
They also endeavour to give the State a greater role in the areas of health, childcare and the building of homes.
The joint policy document was agreed by Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin yesterday.
It says the country will again have a significant deficit as a result of the health emergency.
It is also focused on improving “the wellbeing of the Irish people and society.”
The document says: “As a nation, we have a proud tradition of community, solidarity and decency.
“We have seen this in every community across our country during this Emergency. Sacrifices have been made by all for the greater good.
“As has been done in so many parts of the world, we have shown, in Ireland, that we put the health, safety and security of all our people first.
“Many families have lost loved ones; many more have been affected by illness; and hundreds of thousands of people have either lost their jobs or had their employment thrown into jeopardy.
“There is fear and anxiety deep in every home, with grave uncertainty about the future. The global economy now faces massive challenges, with significant consequences for our small and open economy. Society and the world we once knew has been severely disrupted.
“We need a Government with a clear majority that is strong enough to develop and deliver a programme of national recovery across its lifetime – one that can channel its collective talents for the greater good.”
They said they will continue to be guided by, and act on, the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
The parties say their “overriding focus is to improve the wellbeing of people” in the aftermath of the Covid-19 emergency.
“Beyond this, our focus is to respond decisively to the agenda of change in terms of housing, health, climate action and quality of life, which came through so clearly from the General Election,” it added.
They set out 10 new missions for a new Government:
1. Reigniting and Renewing the Economy
2. Universal Healthcare
3. Housing for All
4. A New Social Contract
5. A New Green Deal
6. A Better Quality of Life for All
7 Supporting Young Ireland
8 Opportunities through Education and Research
9 A Shared Island
10 At the Heart of Europe: Global Citizenship.
“To assess the performance of a new Government, we must look beyond economic indicators. We will create new, credible, quality-of-life measures of individual and societal wellbeing and progress,” it added.
