Sinn Féin, Labour, the Greens and Social Democrats say they support a referendum on keeping water services in public ownership in their 2020 election offers. That’s according to the political parties’ responses to a range of issues raised with them during the election campaign, which Fórsa published today.

Labour, Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit also support bringing water and waste services back into public control and ownership. And Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats support a local authority-led public housing programme.

Six out of six parties asked supported large-scale investment in house building, and legislation to compel companies to declare their gender pay gaps.

The union’s assessments are based on party manifestos and other official election pledges. Fórsa also sent a draft to each party to give them the opportunity to clarify their positions if they wanted to.

The union prioritised pay and working time in its questions to the parties. Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats commit to negotiate a new pay deal in their manifestos and, when prompted by Fórsa, the others said they would too.

All were fairly short on details, and there was scant support for addressing the additional working time introduced for many public servants during the crisis.

See the full details of party positions HERE. 

See our analysis of party positions on pay and related issues HERE.