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Brendan Hughes

Sinn Fein Stormont Assembly election manifesto - key points

Tackling the cost of living crisis and supporting the health service are among the main priorities for Sinn Féin in its Stormont Assembly election manifesto.

Launching their manifesto in Belfast, deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said Sinn Féin would provide a "progressive First Minister for all" if they become the largest party in May.

The manifesto, which has 20 pages in English and a further 20 printed in Irish, contains proposals on matters including housing, education, climate change and planning for a border poll.

Read more: Sinn Féin denies downplaying Irish unity ambitions in response to DUP 'divisive' border poll claims

Here is a look at some of the key messages and policies from the party's manifesto:

Cost of living

Sinn Féin said £334million of Stormont funding remains unallocated as a result of the DUP collapsing the power-sharing Executive in February in protest over Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.

To ease cost of living pressures, the party proposed using this funding to give £230 to every household.

The party wants to provide £100 to those on benefits who were previous recipients of a Stormont energy payment support scheme.

Other plans for the funding include £33million to extend a current business rates relief package by a further month, and £6million to freeze fares on public transport.

Health

Sinn Féin said the health service should be Stormont's "number one spending priority" and proposed increasing its budget by £1billion over three years.

The party said they were committed to investing in the health workforce, tackling waiting lists and "ensuring people can see a GP when they need one".

They blamed "a decade of Tory cuts" and argued problems were compounded by "wasteful duplication" from having separate health services in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

It said there was a need to "maximise the potential of all-island services".

Irish unity

Sinn Féin claimed "demand for change is sweeping across Ireland", but this must be "properly planned through discussion, dialogue and negotiation" and it should "avoid any repeat of the Brexit debacle".

The party said their priorities include working with the Irish government to establish an all-island citizens' assembly to discuss the constitutional future.

They also want secure a date from British and Irish governments for referenda on a united Ireland.

Speaking at the manifesto launch, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald did not propose a firm date for a border poll, but said they believed "significant change will happen in the course of this decade".

She also did not answer questions on whether she believed nationalism being the largest Stormont party should be a factor in the Secretary of State's decision on whether to call a border poll.

Other points

Sinn Féin said a new power-sharing Executive should be formed "as soon as the election is over" to tackle health service and cost of living pressures.

In contrast to unionist parties opposing the Northern Ireland Protocol, Sinn Féin argued there are "huge opportunities" resulting from the post-Brexit arrangements giving access to both UK and EU markets.

Finance Minster Conor Murphy hit out at the DUP's handling of the economy portfolio in the Executive in the past decade and said it was "time for new leadership in that department".

Other plans include responding to the "demand for both Irish medium and integrated education", ending zero-hour contracts and a ban on fracking.

Read more: Every candidate running for the Stormont Assembly

Read more: People Before Profit election manifesto at a glance

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