Does your candidate support human rights for all and will work to tackle the climate emergency? A quick guide to election manifestos and pledges

Most manifestos from the various 1400 local election candidates and MEP candidates in Ireland have been boiled down to a two sided ‘DL’ flyer.

Are your key issues and priorities part of the candidates pledges or policy positions? What about their party – have they delivered in words or in deeds over the last 5 years?

As the European elections and local elections taking place on Friday are coming in fast, we’ve been gathering some of the manifestos, pledges and campaigns developed by various NGOs interested in challenging the stance and policy positions of candidates.

Coalition 2030

In 2015, Ireland led the way in coordinating and shaping the global Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Agreed by 193 countries, the Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that people enjoy peace and prosperity. This transformative framework, with its 17 goals and underlying principles that apply to everyone, includes the promise of leaving no one behind and sets out to reach the furthest behind first. Ireland continues to have an important role at home and in countries where we work, to ensure this globally agreed plan works for a greener, fairer and healthier world for all people. Coalition 2030 is asking candidates running in the upcoming local elections to position Ireland as a leader at local and county levels to ensure urgency and ambition on the implementation of the 2030 agenda and a transition towards a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable Ireland. See the Coalition 2030 Election Manifesto for more detail.

National Women’s Council Feminist Manifesto for Europe

National Women’s Council of Ireland are calling on all candidates and voters to sign up to their feminist vision for Europe and make a decisive stand against sexism, discrimination, growing inequalities and the rise of the far right. If you are a candidate, they are asking you to our Manifesto and show that you share our vision for a feminist Europe and a better future for all. If you are a voter, please check what candidates share your ideas for a fair, sustainable and just society and make sure to vote for feminist candidates. In their manifesto, the National Women’s Council of Ireland outline what future MEPs can do to ensure that women are leaders; women are safe; women are economically secure and supported; women are equal at work; women are healthy; women are living in a just and sustainable world. Download the full Feminist Manifesto for Europe here

Focus Ireland

Focus Ireland has launched a grassroots online campaign calling on every local election candidate to commit to tackling the homelessness crisis if they are elected on May 24th. To date over 5,000 emails have been sent by voters to many of the 1,400 candidates running in the local elections nationwide. Focus Ireland has also now written to all candidates asking them if they will take the pledge to end homelessness. Focus Ireland has asked its supporters nationwide to email prospective councillors in their area asking them to take an Election Pledge signing up to three key actions to help end homelessness. Focus Ireland is calling on voters to go to www.focusireland.ie and email their local candidates  though a quick and secure online campaign tool  asking them sign up to the Focus Ireland pledge to support three key actions if elected.

These are:

• Ask candidates to maximise social housing in their area.
• Introduce guidelines to address the specific issues faced by families experiencing homelessness.
• Deliver a local strategy on youth homelessness.

Citizens for Financial Justice Ireland

The objectives of the European Union are being diverted from its foundations as a union for peace and solidarity, towards servicing the interests of the financial elite. We’re calling on European election candidates to stand up for financial justice and pledge to put people before profit:

1. I pledge to stand up to vulture funds by pushing for EU-wide legislation that limits their predatory practices.
2. I pledge to support efforts that make the European Investment Bank work for people, not corporations.
3. I pledge to oppose the creeping privatisation of the EU’s aid budget, and ensure aid is not used to line the pockets of big corporations

Full details of the pledges Citizens for Financial Justice Ireland is calling for are available on their website.

Friends of the Earth Ireland

FOE Ireland are calling for voters to put pressure on MEP candidates to take the fossil fuel pledge. By signing up, MEPs pledge to work towards achieving the following principles upon election:
• A just transition for workers and communities;
• Protect our seas and end offshore drilling;
• No new fossil fuel infrastructure;
• Stop burning coal, peat and unsustainable biomass for electricity;
• Ban the importation of fracked gas and support a fossil free future globally.

Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Last month IPSC wrote to European Election candidates in all four Irish constituencies and asked them a series of four short questions about their positions on the Palestine-Israel issue, informing them that they would be publishing the answers so that those who care about Palestinian rights can be better informed when voting on polling day. On their website, they published all those answers received so far. Please note that Some of the candidates did not answer the questions directly and instead simply submitted their own wider positions. Not all candidates responded, but at least one representative from most of the major parties did – so you can get an idea where the parties stand.

If you are wondering where a candidate that hasn’t yet answered stands, then we urge you to contact them and ask. You can do that by clicking here. Not strictly a manifesto or pledge, per se, but important, nonetheless.

No Child 2020