Taoiseach promises tax cuts, increased pension, more gardaí

The Taoiseach has promised to implement a €4bn package of tax reductions, an increase in the old-age pension to €300 and 2,000 more Gardaí on the streets if returned to government after the next election.

He made the pledges in his keynote address to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin last night.

The Taoiseach also said he will bring in new measures to make prisons drug-free.

Bertie Ahern told delegates he believes crime poses a real threat to this country, but Fianna Fáil is determined to come down hard on perpetrators.

He outlined a number of proposals to make the streets safer, including the roll-out of CCTV to all major towns, as well as increased garda numbers.

"This a fight we will never shrink from, and one that we're determined to deal with, and to win," he said.

"Prison should not be 'off' time. It should be for work and for training, so that when a sentence is complete, a productive life can begin."

Bertie Ahern also focused on the health service in his speech. He said his government, if returned, would focus on illness prevention, and providing better care in local communities.

He also committed to rolling out personal health checks, which would include breast, cervical and prostate cancer screening.