Conference s: List of motions submitted by National Executive and es, Jan 2018 Together Better Fairer
Conference s A. CONSITUTIONAL MOTIONS Number: 1 Proposed Change to the Constitution National Council Representatives National Executive Replace bullet point 1 in Section 6.1.3 of the Constitution with the following: Two representatives from each constituency. Each constituency shall elect two National Council representatives and one alternate member using a secret ballot and single transferable vote, who will, in as far as is practicable, be of different gender identities. The alternate member will have attendance but not voting rights in the event that either representative cannot attend; Amendment Number: 1 Proposed Change to the Dublin West Replace 1 text The alternate member will have attendance but not voting rights in the event that either representative cannot attend; with: The alternate member will have attendance and voting rights only in the event that either representative cannot attend;
Conference s Number: 2 Proposed Change to the Constitution Candidate Selection Cork North Central, National Executive Delete all Article 9.1 Candidates Committee and replace with the following; 9.1 Candidate Identification & Development Committee. The Candidate Strategy & Development Committee shall be made up of no fewer than seven members. The National Executive shall appoint the members of the Candidate Strategy & Development Committee. Delete all Article 9.2 and replace with the following; 9.2 Elections to Dáil Éireann, Local Authorities and the European Parliament 9.2.1 In respect of elections to Dáil Éireann, Local Authorities and the European Parliament, having consulted with the local branches, the Candidate Strategy & Development Committee shall prepare a report for the National Executive recommending the maximum and minimum numbers of candidates to be put forward for election in each constituency or electoral area. The Committee shall take into account any matters which it believes to be relevant. 9.2.2 The report of the Candidate Strategy & Development Committee shall be forwarded to the National Executive who shall approve, reject, seek a further draft or amend the report with the agreement of the Candidate Strategy & Development Committee. 9.2.3 Following consultation with the branches the National Executive will decide when the Candidate Selection process is opened for each constituency. 9.2.4 The Candidate Strategy and Development Committee will undertake any further duties assigned by the National Executive and implement the processes as outlined in the Candidate Selection process approved by the National Council. 9.2.5 Both the National Executive and the Candidate Strategy & Development Committee shall take into account Irish law and the Party s commitment to encouraging diversity in public life. It shall be the policy of the Party that race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, mental or physical ability, membership of the Traveller community, civil status, family status or socio-economic status shall not be taken into account in candidate selection other than to increase participation from among under-represented groups or to comply with Irish Law. 9.2.6 Each member of the party registered as a member within the electoral constituency for a period of no less than six months prior to the calling of the selection convention shall be eligible to vote in the selection of a candidate for election within that constituency. The vote shall be conducted by way of secret ballot and single transferable vote. 9.2.7 The National Executive shall devise a set of rules for the Candidate Selection process and candidate selection criteria subject to approval by the National Council. When approved the rules and criteria shall be sent to all members. The Candidate Strategy & Development Committee will operate under these criteria and rules. 9.2.8 It shall be within the sole discretion of the National Executive to ratify or reject a candidate chosen by a branch. The National Executive may in exceptional circumstances and in consultation with chairs, forego any or all of the requirements of the constituency selection process as it deems necessary. 9.2.9 Notwithstanding the above, the National Executive shall retain the right to select candidates acting in consultation with branches.
Conference s B. PARTY MOTIONS Number: 3 Developing Party Merchandise for Fundraising Cork North Central Conference considers funding an imperative issue for the party as we contest elections and expand throughout the country. Conference notes that the Social Democrats are not just a party, but also a movement for political and social change in Ireland. Conference also notes the success of the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign and the UK Labour 2017 General Election campaign fundraising from small money donations and selling merchandise. Conference also acknowledges the success of the REPEAL brand as a means of fundraising for repealing the 8th amendment. Conference mandates the National Executive/Fundraising committee to approach and work with artists and other likeminded individuals throughout the country for the inspiration, design and production of branded Social Democrats merchandise to sell to members, supporters and the general public. Number: 4 Membership Fees National Executive Annual party membership fees will be due on 1st January each year. Membership will be for a calendar year. A 30-day grace period shall be allowed for fees to be paid before membership expires.
Conference s Number: 5 International Affiliation Dublin Fingal Conference mandates the National Executive to form a Working Group to explore what possibilities exist for international affiliation and to examine what the costs and benefits are of any such potential affiliations. The Working Group should perform a comparative analysis of the potential opportunities and rate them against a predefined list of criteria in order to ensure objectivity and balance is achieved. The Working Group should be in a position to present the results of their findings and recommend any proposed affiliations at the next party National Conference. Based on the National Conference discussions, the National Executive should choose which affiliations, if any, are appropriate and make the necessary arrangements to affiliate. Number: 6 Dublin Region Cooperation Dublin North West Conference notes that there are 11 Parliamentary constituencies in Dublin, with a number of local issues that spread across the city. There is no formal structure that brings together the branches or their chairs to discuss local issues or to plan on a wider level. Additionally, local electoral areas can cross multiple parliamentary constituencies, a forum to plan and discuss these decisions will allow a more holistic and collegiate approach. Conference mandates the National Executive to appoint a Dublin coordinator to chair a forum of Dublin branch chairs that is to meet no less than every 8 weeks. National Council is mandated to consider how the party will coordinate on a regional level and in Dublin and is to submit a motion to next year s conference outlining more permanent structures to support this.
Conference s Number: 7 Promote linkage between tax and good public services and reduced cost of living Dublin Bay North Conference notes that tax is almost universally presented in the public sphere as a negative. Hand in glove with this is a lack of appreciation or understanding for the potential of smart tax approaches and quality public services to significantly reduce out of pocket costs of living for people and improve day-to-day life in terms of service access. Conference recommends a Social Democrat led social media and publicity campaign highlighting the positive impact of tax payments with a combination of ordinary people, known voices and tax positive companies and corporations releasing short clips on the positives of what their taxes pay for. This could include a focus on the potential for smart tax approaches to significantly reduce out of pocket costs of living for people and improve day-to-day life in terms of service access.
Conference s C. POLICY MOTIONS Number: 8 Northern Ireland Policy National Executive Conference adopts the Northern Ireland Policy proposed by the Policy Committee. Number: 9 Building a political system fit to govern National Executive Conference calls for a root and branch reform of accountability mechanisms in government and in business, a new anti-corruption agency and a review of the operation of the public and civil service which would put citizens and service users first, in order to build a fairer, more equal Ireland and ensure the delivery of world class public services.
Conference s Number: 10 Reform Local Government Kildare South Conference calls on the policy committee to create an in-depth policy which pertains to high level reform of Local Government, giving a more localized form of government to ensure the best needs of the community are met. Number: 11 Oireachtas Expenses Meath East Conference notes that Oireachtas members who live more than 25 km from the Dail (Commuter Towns) getting much higher expenses that those less than 25km, we believe that this should be increased to 80km (typical journey of hard pressed taxpayer) and other expenses/distances should be reduced accordingly. Conference calls for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to carry a root and branch review of travel expenses paid to Oireachtas Members to ensure value for money for the Taxpayer. Conference also call for all travel expenses paid to Oireachtas members to be linked to Civil Service rates. Oireachtas members pay is linked to Civil service pay and therefore expenses should be also.
Conference s Number: 12 Housing as a Human Right Kildare North Conference recognises shelter as a critical human right. Conference accepts accept that the rental sector plays a strong role in Irish housing. Conference calls on the Policy Committee to structure a policy of security of tenure and affordable rental packages which operates on a cost rental model and to investigate good practice from other countries in respect of social types / mixture of tenures / access alternative funding to devise a long term secure rental model. Number: 13 Government action on Homelessness Kildare South Conference recognises homelessness is a key issue. Conference calls on the government to increase the rates within bands on the HAP and RAS schemes to alleviate pressure on the rental market. Conference calls on the government to build more quality affordable housing and to ensure that building regulations and fire safety on these new homes is to the highest standards. Conference calls on the government to commit to a long term plan to end all child homelessness within a 12-18 month period.
Conference s Number: 14 Compulsory Letting: Oscail an Doras inniu Cork South Central Conference notes that at the time of drafting this motion, just one third of the promised social housing units for 2017 had been delivered. Furthermore, average monthly rents are up more than 10% on this time last year in spite of rent controls being put in. Conference notes that the combination of increasing rents and slow delivery of new housing units will lead to an inexorable rise in the numbers of individuals entering homelessness. Families are becoming homeless. Full time employed individuals are becoming homeless. Conference also notes that the socio-demographic profile of the homeless population in Ireland is unrecognisable from that of a decade ago. Ireland cannot afford to raise the next generation in emergency accommodation for months or years on end. Conference calls on the Policy Committee to develop the proposal set out in Oscail an Doras Inniu, which would set in motion a means to legislate for compulsory letting orders of vacant residential properties. This Oscail an Doras Inniu proposal calls on Local Authorities to have an inventory of the dwellings in every part of the country that have been empty for a minimum of 2 years or longer and that are fit for habitation. An order would then be placed on their owners requiring them to make the properties habitable and put them up for rent. If the owners do not have the capacity to rent them, or do not want the trouble of doing so, the dwellings would be placed in the care of local auctioneers or estate management companies who would be willing to manage the properties responsibly, bring them up to and maintain them at acceptable standards, rent them out, collect the rent, and make the payments less costs and their own fees to the owners. 39 million was paid by the state to the private rental sector in 2016 in Dublin alone. This money should instead be invested back into the economy by bringing existing properties up to standard and available to rent within months. Property owners would receive a rental income from an asset that hitherto was not providing one. The tenant would have greater certainty over the rent paid. The economy would have more accommodation units within a short space of time.
Conference s Number: 15 Implementation of Sláintecare to be urgently accelerated National Executive Conference commends the work of Roisin Shortall TD in chairing the Oireachtas Committee on the Future of Healthcare and the development of the first all-party blueprint for the health service - Sláintecare. Conference endorses Sláintecare and calls on the Government to accelerate the implementation of Sláintecare. Number: 16 Blood Donation Galway West Conference notes that the 12-month blood donation blanket deferral on men who have sex with men is discriminatory and is not evidence-based. Conference notes that the current blood donation criteria do not meet the objectives of risk-reduction to patients of blood transfusion. Conference notes recent developments in the United Kingdom in relation to blood donation policies, which will see a reduction in the 12-month blanket deferral to a 3- month blanket deferral on men who have sex with men. Conference mandates the Policy Committee to produce an evidence-based policy on blood donation policies in Ireland. Conference calls on the Minister for Health to remove the 12-month blanket deferral policy on men who have sex with men in Ireland. Conference calls on the Minister for Health to implement an individualised risk assessment of all blood donors, rather than the current blanket assessment system. Conference calls on the Minister for Health to increase funding to the Irish Blood Transfusion Service in order to improve its effectiveness. Conference calls on the Minister for Health to provide for engaging public information programmes for educational institutions, workplaces and the wider public in order to increase the number of active and regular blood donors in Ireland.
Conference s Number: 17 Enhancing Childcare Supports National Executive Conference notes the challenges faced by parents seeking to balance family life and work life. Childcare arrangements are many and varied. Childcare costs can amount for some to a second mortgage. Conference notes the Government initiatives to support families in formal childcare, but contends that these do not go far enough to support the variety of childcare arrangements that are used by parents and guardians. Conference calls for a broader package of solutions, including extended paid and unpaid parental leave, improved parental payments, and enhanced supports to address childcare costs across all arrangements. Amendment Number: 17a Dublin Bay North Add: Conference further notes the positive impact of high quality childcare, delivered by qualified professionals can have for children, society and the economy. Add: Current government policy has also resulted in a sector that is low paid and precarious for workers, undermining the delivery of high quality childcare Change last paragraph to: Conference calls for increased state investment to development a high quality, affordable, accessible childcare sector, delivered by professionals paid a professional wage as part of a broader package of solutions, including extended paid and unpaid parental leave, improved parental payments, and enhanced supports to address childcare costs across all arrangements.
Conference s Number: 18 Towards a sustainable environment Fingal Conference notes that the party supports an environmentally sustainable policy at national and local level. Conference recognises that action must be taken to make sure Ireland s future development is carried out in a sustainable fashion. - prioritise investment in public transport over roads, as per Citizens Assembly recommendations; - prioritise investment in cycling infrastructure to increase numbers cycling to work, school, college and leisure; - place the citizen at the centre of sustainable energy and environmental policy; - prioritise efforts to support recycling, such as requiring local authorities to have recycling options with all public bins, or requiring shops and garages to have dual recycling options; - support and prioritise the development of renewable sources of energy, including facilities support - require that developer-led renewable energy projects provide incentives to communities to encourage greater local involvement and ownership (for example, if a windfarm is developed in a local area, residents of that area might receive the profits of the windfarm for a certain number of years); - integrate sustainability into all aspects of planning and service delivery. Conference mandates the policy committee to develop recommendations for Social Democrats to pursue at local authority level
Conference s Number: 19 Improve public transport Wicklow Conference notes that affordable, frequent and reliable public transport is needed across the country and not just in and into Dublin. It should not be a requirement to own a car if one lives outside a city. Conference notes that an affordable, frequent and reliable public transport system can improve rural development, slow centralisation, and facilitate healthy towns and cities throughout Ireland as well as helping fulfil our commitments on climate change. Conference calls on the government to invest in public transport throughout the state, using professional planning of transport routes as exemplified by the Dublin Bus consultation. Number: 20 Development of Cycling Infrastructure Dublin South West Conference calls on all state bodies which have a transport budget to allocate a fixed and growing percentage towards cycling with an emphasis on the development of cycle lanes and parking stands in urban areas as well as an extension of public bikes schemes into more suburban areas and the development of greenways in more rural areas, in particular along disused railway lines. Local authorities should also facilitate the development of stationless bike schemes in their administrative areas.
Conference s Number: 21 Welfare and Taxation Meath East Conference calls - To address the inequality between welfare and taxation assessment for cohabiting couples whereby the couple is assessed a family unit for welfare purpose but assessed individually for tax purposes Number: 22 Restoration of Jobseekers Benefit Dublin West, Wicklow Conference notes - that employment amongst young people in Ireland halved between 2007 and 2014, and that hundreds of thousands of young Irish people emigrated during that time. - that in 2014, over 25% of young Irish people were in receipt of social welfare benefits, the highest level in the OECD. - that people between the ages of 18 and 26 who are in receipt of jobseeker s benefit receive up to ninety euro per week less than those over 26. Conference calls on the government to urgently re-evaluate its discriminatory policies on young people across the field of Social Protection. Conference further calls for all rates of jobseekers benefit/allowance for people under the age of 26 to be increased to, and equalised with the rate for those aged 26 years and older. Conference mandates the policy committee to develop a policy on this and the broader theme of issues affecting the locked-out generation by the next Conference. Conference mandates the policy committee to develop a policy on this, including how best to support young people entering employment, incorporating a youth guarantee scheme, and the broader theme of issues affecting the locked-out generation by the next Conference.
Conference s Number: 23 Ending PRSI inequality for self employed Dublin Bay South Conference recognises the inequity that exists between different Classes of PRSI, where the self-employed are unfairly evaluated and receive a lower level of benefit relative to PAYE workers Conference notes that recent extensions to class S PRSI benefits do not provide equal treatment for the self-employed. Conference further notes the party s 2016 manifesto point Improving self-employed tax credits and providing same social protections as PAYE workers on a voluntary opt-in basis Conference mandates the Policy Committee to produce policy to make the PRSI benefits fully equitable for the self employed
Conference s Number: 24 Immigration Policy Dublin Bay North Conference notes that: since Immigration Act 2004, there has been no new legislation to govern immigration policies in Ireland. since 2004 the demographic mix of people living in Ireland has changed substantially, with 17% of people born in foreign countries. currently the immigration and integration policies in Ireland are developed on an ad hoc basis. emigration levels and returning migrant figures have also been high. Ireland has opted out of the EU Directive on family reunification and is ranked the second lowest (7%) in EU 28 (on average 30%) for first residence permissions for family reason, according to European Migration Network s report in 2017 and that Immigration for family reasons has been consistently the largest category of immigrants in Europe. Conference believes that: the current family reunification policy is extremely restricted for ordinary non-eu migrants, inhumane and damaging to family values and migrants integration and it may also have missed opportunities in benefiting the economy. Conference mandates: The National Policy Committee to set up a policy working to investigate the various aspects of migration, with a view to seek cross party consensus on a forward thinking robust national migration and integration strategy and to consider: * The impracticality of family reunification policies, foreign ownership s impact in the property market, migrants rights to education and political participation (both immigrants and emigrants), sustainable participation of migrants in public services, and the treatment of vulnerable migrants are some areas which deserve attention. * Best practice from Canada, New Zealand, UK, and many EU countries.
Conference s Number: 25 Higher Education Fees Dublin South West Conference affirms that essential Public Services including Education should be free at the point of use and financed by sustainable and fair Taxation. Conference supports the removal of Higher Education Tuition Fees, the restoration of Higher Education Grants for Postgraduate Students; an increase in Grant eligibility threshold; an increase in grant maintenance levels. Conference also calls for a long term plan to alleviate inequalities in the Education system from Primary to Higher Education. Number: 26 Sex Work Galway West Conference notes that criminalisation of sex work is not the solution to abuse and/or trafficking within the sexual services industry. Conference notes that Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 fails to decriminalise sex workers who work in pairs for their own safety. Conference notes that criminalisation of sex work, within the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, is likely to violate the human rights of sex workers. Conference notes that the international evidence does not support the contention that criminalisation of the purchase of sex leads to a decrease in demand for sexual services. Conference notes the support for decriminalisation of sex work by Amnesty International, HIV Ireland and the World Health Organisation. Conference notes the importance of evidence-based policy-making by legislators and a harm-reduction model in relation to sex work.
Conference s Number: 26 Conference commends the work of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland and Laura Lee for their work in fighting for evidence-based laws in relation to sex work. Conference mandates the Policy Committee to produce an evidence-based policy on the law relating to sex work in Ireland. Conference calls on the Minister for Justice to repeal Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 and work towards evidence-based policy, leading to the decriminalisation of sex work. Conference calls on the Government to provide extensive financial, educational and other supports for sex workers who wish to leave the sexual services industry. Number: 27 The Human Economy Dublin South West Conference mandates the Policy Committee to consult widely with members and supporters of the Social Democrats in drafting an economic policy that addresses life in the digital economy. The Policy Committee is to submit this draft policy to the next conference for adoption as a policy.
Conference s Number: 28 Tax Justice Dublin West Conference notes: - that Ireland has been declared one of the world s worst tax havens by, among others, Oxfam, the Debt and Development Coalition, and the Department of Federal Revenue of Brazil. - that Ireland has been found to be one of the biggest conduit jurisdictions in the world, and that new initiatives such as the Knowledge Development Box present a risk that new avenues for multinational corporations to avoid tax are still being actively pursued by the government. - that Ireland s corporate tax policies have had and continue to have a damaging impact on the potential for developing countries to grow, by facilitating the expatriation of profits of multinational corporations to Irish subsidiaries, avoiding tax in the countries where profits were actually accrued. Conference notes with concern: - that corporation tax internationally is shrinking as a share of overall tax revenue, and is on the present trajectory trending towards 0%, and lost revenue is being replaced by regressive consumption taxes, such as VAT. - that Ireland s 12.5% nominal corporate tax rate is the lowest in the industrialised world, and that in practise many corporations pay a significantly lower rate than that. - that by refusing to allow developing countries a meaningful voice in the development of a truly international tax system, Ireland, along with the rich country club the OECD are setting international rules that advantage the wealthy to the disadvantage of developing countries. Conference commends: - the pioneering work of Deputies Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall in relentlessly pursuing transparency and accountability in Irish public life and corporate and banking affairs. Conference believes: - that the Social Democrats are the leading voice in Ireland for honesty, transparency and good governance throughout the entire economy and society.
Conference s Number: 28 Conference calls for: - The creation of a single, easily accessible, on-line corporate transparency register, including at a minimum: 1. Country-by-country reporting for profits and losses of multinational companies registered in Ireland. 2. The names of beneficial owners of all companies and trusts registered in Ireland. 3. Annual reporting of the basic elements of all tax rulings and advanced pricing agreements issued that year, including potential cost to the state through tax revenues foregone, to be published alongside annual estimates. 4. Summary information on the number and scope of requests for tax rulings and advanced pricing agreements rejected by The Office of the Revenue Commissioners on the basis that they might be intended for tax avoidance. - A full and public review of all existing Irish tax rulings and advanced pricing agreements by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee. Internationally, Conference calls for: - A new, truly international, global tax body, under the general secretariat of the United Nations, incorporating international tax agreement competences currently exercised by the OECD (through BEPS Guidelines) and globally binding rules for the administration of sovereign lending by institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Conference mandates: - the Policy Committee to coordinate the preparation of comprehensive policies on tax justice, diversification from Foreign Direct Investment, and building up indigenous Irish business by the next Conference.
Conference s Number: 29 Protecting Small Businesses Dublin Bay South Conference recognises the investments and efforts of small and medium enterprises: Conference recognises that during the economic crisis which afflicted Ireland from 2008 the government vocally encouraged the entrepreneurial spirit in the citizens of Ireland to establish new businesses and experiment with new economic models. Conference recognises that such risk-taking on the part of small, independent traders diminished unemployment, sustained the economy and provided much needed rental income to commercial landlords. Conference recognises that since the economic recovery began the rental value on commercial property has increased dramatically, often resulting in the closure of such small businesses which would otherwise remain successful. Conference proposes that: a. Each commercial property rented by a business with 50 or fewer employees should enjoy extended protection of their lease, amounting to not more than two months guaranteed occupancy at the contractual value of the rent per year of occupation; b. In order to extinguish that right and terminate the lease prior to the accumulated grace period payment be made by the landlord to the tenant in the value of such rent; c. Such a grace period shall be limited to a maximum of 12 months.
Conference s Number: 30 Community Banking Kildare North Conference notes the role of the Banking Sector in the economic crash. Conference recognises an urgent need or the establishment of a community, not for profit banking system as a real financial alternative for customers that would benefit individuals and businesses. Number: 31 Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy National Executive Conference adopts the proposed Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy.