Irish Election Literature

From the 1981 General Election a leaflet fro Fianna Fail candidates Sean Doherty and Terry Leyden.
At the start of a decade where emigration was rife Haughey writes…
• That the best possible Educational. Recreational and Employment Opportunities will he provided for our young people.

Hitting out at Liberal Ireland he writes…
That the traditional values and standards of our society, which are under threat. will be defended and preserved.
and that
Fianna Fail is the only party that can be trusted to cherish and safeguard the traditional values and ideals of the Irish people

Which reads…
Fianna Fail has been concerned to lighten the burden on the taxpayer in areal and positive way. The abolition of rates on private houses has been the greatest single relief ever given to this section of the community.
Significant reliefs for income tax payers have also been implemented. For the first time ever, full equality of treatment is accorded to married couples who now pay on the same basis as two single persons. Fianna Fail recognises that the burden of direct taxation. particularly for the PAYE sector, is far too heavy and we plan to continue reducing this burden until we achieve a situation where every individual in the community will play a fair and reasonable amount of tax having regard to his or her income and no more. We believe, however that we will not achieve the level of economic and social progress to which we aspire as long as the Northern Ireland question remains unresolved.
Recent events have dramatically proved that we are right in regarding Northern Ireland as the most urgent political problem in this country and in seeking a solution to it as a matter of very great urgency. Fianna Fail enjoys the broad basis of support in every section of the community which Is needed to provide political stability. It has the experience. the judgement and the capacity needed to guide the nation through these difficult and dangerous times. It has the quality and the fibre that the times demand.
Fianna Fail alone can give the people a single-party government alter this election. Fianna Fail alone can provide clear leadership with an agreed policy on all major national issues. Fianna Fail is the only party that can be trusted to cherish and safeguard the traditional values and ideals of the Irish people.
Fianna Fail seeks a mandate from the electors for the next five years to continue with the policies now in operation and to achieve the goals we have set ourselves; to solve the problems of Northern Ireland: to develop and expand the economy so that it will provide the employment we need for our increasing population, to create a
fair and just society and a pleasant and satisfying cultural and community life for all our people. The new Fianna Fail Government will meet the problems and difficulties of today with calmness and courage; it will grasp the opportunities of tomorrow with imagination and enterprise.