General Election Manifestos 2024

With General Election 2024 around the corner and all major party manifestos published, it’s timely to consider what this might mean for infrastructure delivery across Ireland.

It is no secret that Ireland’s infrastructure delivery is at a critical juncture, with the Budget 2025 setting out unprecedented levels of capital expenditure to help accelerate the delivery of the infrastructure programmes set out in the National Development Plan (NDP) (see here for further information).

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have both proposed reforms to infrastructure delivery in Ireland. Fianna Fáil plan to widen the remit of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) to include infrastructure oversight and delivery, overseeing all major national infrastructure projects as directed by Government.

Fine Gael, on the other hand, plan to establish a new consolidated Department of Infrastructure, Climate and Transport to unify all aspects of infrastructure delivery under one leadership structure. This Department will merge the Department of Transport, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), and the infrastructure delivery functions of the Department of Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR), including the Office of Public Works (OPW).

No other parties have outlined any major infrastructure delivery reform within their manifestos, however, Sinn Féin have discussed how they would improve delivery through greater oversight from the National Investment Office. Sinn Féin have also outlined how Government would move away from Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for public infrastructure projects. Ireland needs to change the way we deliver infrastructure, but it's still uncertain if the proposed solutions will address the challenges. The real test will lie in the details that are yet to be revealed.

KPMG Ireland has prepared this summary to highlight key infrastructure-related commitments across election manifestos. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness, this summary may not capture all details or nuances. Any omissions are unintentional and do not reflect bias or preference toward any party or candidate.

In further detail, each party's manifesto has been broken out as follows:

Fianna Fáil

Allocate €3.6 billion to improve transport networks.
Progress key public infrastructure projects.
Invest in new train carriages to increase capacity.
Expand local link services.
Invest in light rail for cities.
Roll out charging stations on national roads.
Increase funding for new road construction and maintenance.

Fine Gael

Expand local link services
Establish budgets for road maintenance and new construction starting in 2025.
Prioritise major public transport projects: Bus Connects, MetroLink, Luas, DART+, Cork Commuter Rail Programme.
Roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport.
Invest in essential road projects
Increase publicly available EV charging points to nearly 10,000.
Expand walking and cycling infrastructure
Modernise and advance the rail system.

Green Party

€10 billion transport enhancement plan (€7 billion from Apple tax, €3 billion from other sources).
Fund Bus Connects, Dublin Metrolink, Dart+, and Luas extension.
New light rail line from Mahon to Ballincollig in Cork.
Re-open Wexford to Waterford railway; upgrade rail lines in Limerick and Kilkenny.
Explore light rail system in Galway.
Invest €500 million a year in walking and cycling infrastructure.
Establish a €75 million maintenance fund for cycle lanes and footpaths.

Labour Party

Allocate €2.5bn for major public transport projects and regional developments.
Prioritise MetroLink, new LUAS lines, BusConnects, and DART extensions.
Fast-track light rail design in Cork and other cities.
Deliver new cycling infrastructure.
Upgrade bicycle storage at all public transport hubs.
Fund DART extensions and the LUAS extension to Finglas.
Explore the Atlantic Rail corridor and expand northern line rail capacity.
Roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport.

Sinn Féin

Progress the Western Rail Corridor.
Progress the Navan Rail line.
Progress the Metrolink project.
Expand Local Link bus schemes.
Upgrade A5/N2, N17, and prioritize N20 bypass.
Provide €7 million for Safe Routes to School.
Make all bus and train stations, platforms, and bus stops wheelchair accessible.

Social Democrats

Increase investment in rail, public transport, and active mobility.
Double funding for rural transport and Local Link.
Invest in MetroLink
Expand DART and Luas, develop light rail in Cork and Galway.
Progress Cork Commuter Rail project.
Implement BusConnects in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, and Limerick.
Support All-Island Rail Review and Western Rail Corridor.
Improve cycling infrastructure, including bike parking and storage on public transport.
Build a comprehensive school transport system

Fianna Fáil

Invest €2.5 billion in renewable energy and upgrade the national grid.
Accelerate investment in low-cost, secure renewable energy sources.
Build more onshore and offshore wind farms.
Deliver 9GW onshore wind, 8GW solar, and 5GW offshore wind by 2030.
Upgrade the national grid for efficiency.
Fund solar panels for every school.
Complete vital energy connectivity projects, including the Celtic Interconnector.

Fine Gael

Invest in climate-resilient infrastructure.
Prioritise offshore wind developments.
Develop green energy industrial parks.
Continue investing in flood relief projects.
Support renewable energy in schools.
Focus on the development of renewable energy infrastructure, the energy grid and broadband networks.
Increase publicly available charging points four-fold to nearly 10,000.

Green Party

Allocate €1.2 billion for retrofitting public buildings.
Invest €100 million in offshore wind and micro-generation infrastructure.
Install free solar panels to low-income homes.
Increase investment in EV charging infrastructure and introduce 200 new smart mobility hubs.
Develop 20GW of offshore wind energy by 2040
Continued rollout of free solar panels for schools.

Labour Party

Allocate €2.5 billion for a National Retrofitting Plan for public, community sector, SMEs, apartments, and housing bodies.
Invest €1 billion in offshore wind projects to accelerate wind and solar power development.
Increase EV charging networks by 50% over the next three years.

Sinn Féin

Invest in grid expansion and upgrades.
Allocate €1.5 billion for deep retrofitting over 100,000 homes.
Allocate €850 million for deep retrofitting over 44,000 social homes.
Allocate €750 million for deep retrofitting over 30,000 solid fuel homes.
Reform the energy system to deliver energy as a public good.
Allocate €2.5 billion to increase investment and establish a new Renewable Energy Fund.

Social Democrats

Install 100,000 solar panels on homes annually.
Scale up capacity in semi-state agencies for large renewable energy projects.
Introduce a national retrofitting program.
Invest in interconnectivity between Ireland and other countries.
Scale up capacity in Bord na Móna and ESB for renewable energy projects.
Accelerating the delivery of wind energy infrastructure projects.

Fianna Fáil

Allocate €4 billion to LDA for social and affordable homes.
Allocate €2 billion to Towns investment fund for infrastructure.
Increase housing supply to 60,000 units/year by 2030.
Create €250 million fund for innovative construction methods.
Continue modern social housing building program.
Invest in essential infrastructure to speed up construction.
Build 10,000 affordable units annually.
Create 2,000 Housing First tenancies to reduce homelessness.
Construct 12,000 social housing units annually.
Build more cost rental units through LDA and AHB funding.

Fine Gael

Double new homes built annually to 60,000.
Allocate €40 billion to housing budget over five years.
Commit to Uisce Eireann's capital investment for water and wastewater.
Empower LDA to unlock state lands and build 18,000 homes.
Release state-owned sites for up to 67,000 homes.
Build 12,000 social houses per year until 2030.
Tackle vacancy and optimise existing housing stock.
Support renters and add 2,500 student accommodation units annually.

Green Party

Build 50-53,000 new homes annually, including 15,000 affordable and 12,000 social homes.
Renovate at least 4,000 vacant or derelict buildings.
Invest €20 billion per year to deliver housing targets.

Labour Party

Direct €7 billion towards housing, including €6bn for a State Construction Company.
Build 50,000 new homes annually over five years.
Build 6,500 affordable homes annually over five years.
Build 5,000 cost rental homes annually over five years.
Build 13,400 social homes annually over five years.
Establish a strategy for retrofitting and installing renewable heating systems and solar PV in all social housing by 2030.

Sinn Féin

Deliver 300,000+ homes in five years, including 125,000 social and affordable homes by 2030.
Deliver 31,500 public homes in 2030.
Reform planning, streamline procurement, and use new building technologies and vacant properties.
Transform the LDA in an active LDA to deliver an ambitious public housing programme.

Social Democrats

Build 75,000 affordable homes in 5 years (50,000 purchase, 25,000 rental).
Build publicly provided homes on state-owned land.
Create specific zoning for affordable housing.
Build 70,000 social homes in 5 years.
Build 25,000 affordable rental homes in 5 years.
Tackle vacancy and dereliction to bring empty homes back into use.
Build designated housing for older people.

Fianna Fáil

Allocate €3 billion to Irish Water for water infrastructure upgrades.
Support group water schemes and private well grants.
Implement the special water investment scheme.
Committed to invest €1 billion in Uisce Eireann to improve public water and wastewater services.

Fine Gael

Commit to Uisce Eireann’s capital investment programme to improve water and wastewater services.
Fast-track water connection agreements
Expand rural water schemes.
Develop nature-based flood management solutions.
Upgrade the Ulster Canal and the Narrow Water Bridge.
Support existing water quality improvement measures.

Green Party

Achieve good water quality by 2030.
Fully resource the implementation of the Water Action Plan.
Cover the cost of well water testing.
Continue to invest to improve drinking water and urban wastewater treatment plants.

Labour Party

Allocate €1bn for water infrastructure and land servicing.
Invest €1 billion in Uisce Eireann to fast-track water supply and waste treatment.
Achieve good water quality in all catchments by 2030.

Sinn Féin

Invest €1.5 billion in water and wastewater delivery by Uisce Eireann.
Provide €100 million to OPW for flood defences.
Expedite the construction of necessary sewage and water infrastructure for Gaeltacht communities.

Social Democrats

Address deficits in wastewater infrastructure.
Invest in flood defences and avoid construction in flood-prone areas.
Major investment in water infrastructure.

Fianna Fáil

Invest in Regional State Airports, Cork, and Shannon to expand passenger throughput.
Support Donegal, Kerry, and Ireland West airports through the Regional Airports programme.
Introduce a PSO for Derry to Dublin flights.
Support commercial and passenger port infrastructure with a new National Ports Policy.
Collaborate with ports to facilitate offshore renewable energy development.
Remove passenger cap at Dublin Airport as soon as possible.

Fine Gael

Review and maximise the use of regional airports; fund Waterford Airport runway expansion.
Develop port infrastructure for offshore renewable energy projects with a balanced regional approach.
Work to remove the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.
Promote Sustainable Aviation.
Develop air cargo infrastructure.

Green Party

Develop Shannon as the lowest carbon landing place for aviation between North America and Europe
Engage with Waterford Airport to future-proof the airport’s development.
Support the 3FM project in Dublin Port.
Fully support the development of Rosslare Europort for ORE and rail freight.
Develop Shannon as an integral strategic hub for the development of ORE, with a view to becoming a hub for floating wind energy infrastructure.
Support the further development of Killybegs and Rossaveel, Derry and Belfast ports.

Labour Party

Aid the offshore wind sector with an €80 million Strategic Port. Infrastructure Fund.
Develop and all-island ports strategy.
Ensure enhanced modal integration at ports and airports.
Prioritise the development of regional airports.

Sinn Féin

Develop regional airports.
Provide at least €80 million to kickstart port investment for offshore wind.
Invest in strategic port development for large-scale offshore wind farms.
Collaborate with Northern Ireland to increase the use of Belfast port for offshore energy projects.
Work to remove passenger cap at Dublin Airport.

Social Democrats

Foster a diverse spread of air traffic into regional airports.
Invest in port infrastructure for offshore wind.
Identify necessary seaport upgrades for offshore wind development.

Fianna Fáil

Build four new large elective hospitals to reduce patient waiting times.
Build a new surgical hub for the North-West and open six completed hubs.
Open 100 more enhanced primary care centres.
Invest in building or purchasing state-owned childcare facilities.
Build more public nursing homes.
Build new Music Education hubs.
Implement an Urban Communities Initiative for city centres and disadvantaged areas.
Increase investment in greenways, blueways, and urban trailways.
Expand the Safe Routes to School programme.

Fine Gael

Facilitate jobs in renewable infrastructure, integrating local businesses.
Develop well-connected communities with schools, healthcare, public transport, and green spaces.
Complete National Fibre Roll-Out to 1.1 million people by 2026.
Revitalise town centres with initiatives like Town Centre First.
Develop Blueways for water-based tourism.
Invest in regenerative tourism projects in the Midlands.
Increase childcare capacity.
Allocate €2 billion to the Rural Regeneration Development Fund by 2035.

Green Party

Provide financial support to higher education institutions for building student accommodation.
Fully resource a Nature Restoration Plan.
Improve river connectivity and incentivise water-friendly farming.
Create parks, community gardens, and nature trails.
Fund town bus and bike share schemes for towns with populations over 10,000.
Fund Greenway projects.
Invest in urban wastewater plans and improve drinking water.
Develop sports infrastructure and install free gym equipment in parks.
Develop new elective hospitals and surgical hubs.

Labour Party

Allocate €750 million for upgrading schools, Garda stations, hospitals, and other public buildings.
Build new elective and maternity hospitals.
Build over 5,000 new public hospital beds by 2030.
Guarantee community sports facilities in towns over 5,000 people; invest in public swimming pools and recreational spaces.

Sinn Féin

Deliver 5,000 hospital beds and 2,000 community beds by 2031.
Improve National Broadband rollout efficiency.
Allocate €300 million to fast-track student accommodation PSBA projects.
Double public residential childcare capacity.
Modernise local sport facilities.
Establish a €300 million nature restoration fund; expand national parks and woodlands.
Deliver overdue capital projects for national cultural institutions.

Social Democrats

Invest in capital projects to boost industrial and commercial capacity.
Expand Civic Amenity Centres and make waste charges affordable.
Invest €100 million every year to acquire 80 childcare facilities.
Enable local authorities to issue municipal bonds to fund large infrastructure projects.
Invest in education infrastructure.
Invest in physical infrastructure needed in the Arts sector.