Opposition to attack PD election pledges

The opposition is this morning expected to launch a tirade of criticism against the Progressive Democrats’ election manifesto, which was published in Dublin yesterday.

The 90-page document includes the pledges of low taxes, an end to hospital waiting lists and an extra 40,000 childcare places.

The issue expected to attract most criticism is the proposed National Transformation Fund. The PDs want to sell off state assets like the ESB, Bord Gais and the commercial ports and to use the predicted €6bn in revenue from these sales to fund infrastructure projects.