ALLIANCE has said millions of pounds can be made available for health and education if the Stormont executive does more to combat division.
Launching the party's assembly election manifesto in east Belfast on Tuesday, leader David Ford said he hoped it could gain up to three seats in next month's poll, which would take its tally to an all-time high of 11.
To help achieve its goal, Alliance is reinforcing its aim of greater integration and equality.
If there are headline-grabbers in the manifesto, they are the reintroduction of prescription charges, a pledge to extend same-sex marriage and proposals to invest an additional £85m in skills.
According to Alliance, reversing then health minister Michael McGimpsey's 2010 abolition of all prescription charges would free up £30m a year, though children, the elderly and people with long-term conditions would be among those exempt.
The party estimates that if a small fee were to be reintroduced, only around 11 per cent of the population would have to pay.
However, this would still have the potential to generate a significant sum to support investment in a wider range of drugs and treatments.
The manifesto also advocates increased investment in out-of-hours GP services to relieve the pressure on hospital emergency departments and better use of technology to improve waiting times for treatment.
Alliance says it will introduce legislation to extend civil marriage to same-sex couples but with protections for faith groups who are opposed to conducting such ceremonies.
Its plan to improve skills and combat the high number of people with low or no qualifications includes redressing funding deficits in higher education, implementing a new apprenticeship strategy and helping the further education sector become more business-focused.
The manifesto also proposes an "integrated executive plan" that will boost education and infrastructure to coincide with the expected reduction in corporation tax.
The party revisits a long-running theme which highlights the "inextricable relationship" between creating a shared future and economic progress – and how continued division costs money.
It advocates that all policies are 'shared future proofed' and that all departments publish assessments of the impact of societal division.
Mr Ford said the manifesto was about "delivery, not delay".
"Alliance is committed to building an integrated society – we want to see integrated education, mixed housing and the removal of interface barriers so people can live and learn, work and play together," he said.
"We also want to remove the costs of division – which costs us hundreds of millions of pounds each year. We will reinvest that money in areas that need it, such as health, skills and protecting the vulnerable."
-------------------------
:: What's in the manifesto?
:: Option for every child to attend an integrated school
:: Reinvestment of costs of managing division into health and education
:: Reforming assembly further to remove sectarian designations
:: Investing extra £85 million in skills each year
:: Action to tackle paramilitarism and promote the rule of law
