Right2Change platform provides real alternative to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

SINN FÉIN has announced that it has signed-up to the Right2Change policy document which aims to broadly unite left-wing political parties around key principles and fight the next General Election on an anti-austerity platform to mount a real challenge the hegemony of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

The key issues of the policy platform are the scrapping of water charges, doubling public investment, higher taxes on those at the top, prioritising social and economic investment, eliminating the deficit by 2020 and changes to EU fiscal rules.

Other key principles of the movement include access to quality healthcare, the right to affordable housing and the importance of decent work with decent pay.

Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed that Sinn Féin will be encouraging their supporters to pass-on their second and third preference votes to other candidates who have also signed up to the policy platform:

“This policy provides a space for political parties and progressive independent candidates and a platform to fight the next election. It doesn’t replace any political party’s manifesto, but it does represent those points of commonality, where we agree, and represents a real opportunity in the forthcoming election to maximise the number of progressive TDs elected to the Dáil, and the potential for an alternative government,” she said.

“Our call is based on a genuine belief that an alternative is possible, a genuine belief that we need rid of Fine Gael and the Labour party and we do not want Fianna Fáil back in office," she added

Other parties including the Anti-Austerity Alliance, Social Democrats, People Before Profit, United Left and Independent candidates are expected to announce whether they have signed-up to the policy platform over the coming days.

The Right2Change movement is a broad coalition of trade unions, civil society organisations, progressive political parties and independents stemming from the Right2Water movement