The new Irish political party, Renua, aims to get ahead of the election game by being the first party to launch its election manifesto this Monday. The party proposes to be the citizen’s watchdog in Irish Government and advocate for tax equality for the self-employed, farmers and small businesses.
“Renua Ireland is the only party fully committed to prioritising Irish entrepreneurs, farmers and the self-employed by ending the tax discrimination they experience,” said party leader Lucinda Creighton.
“[The flat-rate tax is] hugely beneficial because if you look at it as a person on a very low income, let’s say a family, instead of paying tax they are actually getting a contribution on that low level of income,” said Jason Fitzgerald, candidate from the Cork North-West constituency. “The flat tax is particularly beneficial for low-income farming where 40% of the people are on incomes of €10,000 or less.”
Renua also plans to end the current banking monopoly on loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by creating bespoke banks specifically tailored to their needs.
“Renua Ireland intends to cut the unhealthy dominance where banks provide 90% of credit to SMEs to 50% by the creation of new public banks, which will act as credit unions for SMEs,” said Creighton.
Renua’s priorities for agriculture
The creation of a fund to protect farmers from the consequences of price volatility.A new bond scheme that will enable farmers to invest in land.Better opportunities and support for long-term land leasing.Real support for sheep hill farmers.The return of a beet industry.The development of a thriving, world-beating, thoroughbred and sport horse sector.Renua’s proposed price volatility fund to increase income certainty for producers would be similar to the Marginal Protection Programme of the US or the UK Deficiency Payment Scheme of the 1950s and 1960s.
“The biggest issue is the income volatility, it’s been dodged for decades now,” said Fitzgerald. “We classify farmers as an SME and value their contribution to society. Volatility is a major issue that needs to be dealt with, particularly for dairy.”
“If the farmer has a product, they should be paid for it,” he added. “There should be a minimum price for it so that the farmer knows what he is getting paid at the end of the month.”
Competition in the beef industry
Renua says it would encourage and support the development of charitable trusts to encourage competition in meat processing. The trusts would provide farmers with access to their own processing facilities and sales would be facilitated by an online mart developed and operated to keep overheads low.
Listen to an interview on farming issues with two Renua candidates in our podcast below:
In its manifesto, Renua also supports capital allowances for investment in rebuilding the Irish sugar industry.
“We would certainly support to redevelopment of the beet industry,” said Fitzgerald. “Independent experts are saying the fodder crisis would have been prevented in 2012 if we still had the sugar industry.”
Rural crime
To tackle rural crime, Renua’s manifesto promises zero tolerance for repeat offenders. Party leader Lucinda Creighton warned that fundamental reforms were needed if the confidence of the citizens was to be maintained. “The gardaí have suffered from years of State under-investment,” she said, promising “tough zero tolerance sentencing for repeat serial offenders and the building of a justice system which will prioritise victims rather than criminals.”
The new Irish political party, Renua, aims to get ahead of the election game by being the first party to launch its election manifesto this Monday. The party proposes to be the citizen’s watchdog in Irish Government and advocate for tax equality for the self-employed, farmers and small businesses.
“Renua Ireland is the only party fully committed to prioritising Irish entrepreneurs, farmers and the self-employed by ending the tax discrimination they experience,” said party leader Lucinda Creighton.
“[The flat-rate tax is] hugely beneficial because if you look at it as a person on a very low income, let’s say a family, instead of paying tax they are actually getting a contribution on that low level of income,” said Jason Fitzgerald, candidate from the Cork North-West constituency. “The flat tax is particularly beneficial for low-income farming where 40% of the people are on incomes of €10,000 or less.”
Renua also plans to end the current banking monopoly on loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by creating bespoke banks specifically tailored to their needs.
“Renua Ireland intends to cut the unhealthy dominance where banks provide 90% of credit to SMEs to 50% by the creation of new public banks, which will act as credit unions for SMEs,” said Creighton.
Renua’s priorities for agriculture
The creation of a fund to protect farmers from the consequences of price volatility.A new bond scheme that will enable farmers to invest in land.Better opportunities and support for long-term land leasing.Real support for sheep hill farmers.The return of a beet industry.The development of a thriving, world-beating, thoroughbred and sport horse sector.Renua’s proposed price volatility fund to increase income certainty for producers would be similar to the Marginal Protection Programme of the US or the UK Deficiency Payment Scheme of the 1950s and 1960s.
“The biggest issue is the income volatility, it’s been dodged for decades now,” said Fitzgerald. “We classify farmers as an SME and value their contribution to society. Volatility is a major issue that needs to be dealt with, particularly for dairy.”
“If the farmer has a product, they should be paid for it,” he added. “There should be a minimum price for it so that the farmer knows what he is getting paid at the end of the month.”
Competition in the beef industry
Renua says it would encourage and support the development of charitable trusts to encourage competition in meat processing. The trusts would provide farmers with access to their own processing facilities and sales would be facilitated by an online mart developed and operated to keep overheads low.
Listen to an interview on farming issues with two Renua candidates in our podcast below:
In its manifesto, Renua also supports capital allowances for investment in rebuilding the Irish sugar industry.
“We would certainly support to redevelopment of the beet industry,” said Fitzgerald. “Independent experts are saying the fodder crisis would have been prevented in 2012 if we still had the sugar industry.”
Rural crime
To tackle rural crime, Renua’s manifesto promises zero tolerance for repeat offenders. Party leader Lucinda Creighton warned that fundamental reforms were needed if the confidence of the citizens was to be maintained. “The gardaí have suffered from years of State under-investment,” she said, promising “tough zero tolerance sentencing for repeat serial offenders and the building of a justice system which will prioritise victims rather than criminals.”
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