The programme for government agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group promises hundreds of thousands of new homes, cheaper childcare and a “Year of the Invitation” tourism drive.
Alongside a pledge to deliver 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030, the programme for government promises a new national housing plan to succeed Housing for All, brought in by Darragh O’Brien in the last administration.
It also outlines plans to progressively increase the rent tax credit and to help renters seeking to buy with “a series of targeted measures through the tax system and the First Home scheme”.
On taxation, it commits to maintaining a broad tax base to guard against the need for cutbacks and tax hikes in the event of a downturn and to implement progressive taxation changes “if the economy remains strong” by indexing credits and bands.
What’s in the programme for government: the main points, from housing and health to transport and trade
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The programme commits the next government to increase public sector investment to address infrastructural deficits, while also building up the two long-term savings funds.
Separately, the programme commits to “progressively” reduce the cost of childcare to €200 per month per child through the National Childcare Scheme.
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Capital investment will also be provided to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities, to create additional capacity in areas where unmet need exists.
In healthcare, the programme pledges to reduce waiting times so that all patients are seen within the Sláintecare target of 10 and 12 weeks.
It also outlines plans to increase capacity by between 4,000 and 4,500 new and refurbished inpatient hospital beds across the country, alongside a further 100 ICU beds.
Four new elective hospitals have been pledged, one in Cork, one in Galway and two in Dublin.
It plans to increase the number of consultants in emergency medicine by a further 50 per cent and ensure more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays.
Free GP services will be expanded to children aged 12 or under, while restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks including a ban on their sale to children will also be explored.
The document also commits to “a health-led approach to drug addiction and divert those found in possession of drugs for personal use to health services.”
Meanwhile, a new Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration will be established while at least 5,000 new Garda members are to be recruited over the next five years.
The Garda Training College at Templemore will be expanded and the government will consider a second training college.
The new department will take responsibility for international protection accommodation and integration.
The programme promises a “fair but firmer” migration system which would see “stronger border security, including increasing the collection of fingerprints and photographs from new arrivals, enhancing our ability to verify identities”.
The Dublin City Centre Taskforce’s recommendations, meanwhile, will be implemented through the Department of the Taoiseach.
This includes a “significant boost” in Garda numbers in the capital while the planned new transport security force is to play a central role on public transport in Dublin.
Improved security measures in the city centre include increased CCTV coverage and a targeted response to reduce open drug use.
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In enterprise policy, the programme commits to creating 300,000 extra jobs by 2030 and will publish a new action plan for competitiveness and productivity within the first year in office.
In tourism, the programme for government promises a new version of 2013′s “The Gathering” tourism initiative, labelled the “Year of the Invitation”.
On climate, the government has recommitted to a 51 per cent reduction in emissions to 2030 and net-zero emissions no later than 2050, while planned carbon tax increases will go ahead.
The programme commits to fast-tracking offshore wind development and “ramping up targets” to deliver more B2 equivalent home retrofits each year from 2026 to 2030, though actual targets are not contained in the document.
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