The general election campaign is hotting up, with Renua Ireland today becoming the first party to publish its election manifesto.

It's calling for a single flat tax rate of 23% on all income - which it admits will cost the state over €3 billion when it's first introduced.

However the party's leader Lucinda Creighton says the measure will ultimately raise more money for the state than it current receives, because of the major stimulus effect it will have in encouraging people to take on more work.

The party also wants a 'three strikes' policy where someone convicted of three major offences is given a mandatory life sentence.

Its manifesto cites burglary as one of those serious offences, but the party's deputy leader says the final list of offences will be left up to the Law Reform Commission to determine.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: