Minister Joe O’Brien Welcomes the Green Party General Election Manifesto 24’

The Green Party manifesto for GE 24’ has just been released, here are some of the highlights:

Housing:

• Focus: Build high-quality homes and neighborhoods close to essential services to avoid car-dependent suburbs.

• Target: Deliver 50,000-53,000 new homes annually over the next five years, including:

  • 15,000 state-backed affordable/cost rental homes

  • 12,000 social homes

  • 4,000 renovated vacant and derelict homes

• Implementation:

  • Appoint a Super-Junior Minister for Regional Cities to ensure balanced development and direct public capital investment.

  • Revise the National Planning Framework to boost development outside Dublin.

  • Deliver affordable and cost rental housing through local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), and the Land Development Agency nationwide.

  • Continue successful housing policies to maintain the delivery of new homes

Health:

• Focus: Building a more inclusive and accessible health service for all, emphasising local care, and high productivity and cost saving solutions in the sector.

• Target: Expand access and quality for all

• Implementation:

  • Implement a comprehensive digital system for prescriptions, expanding to a nationwide program covering all healthcare services.

  • Invest in diagnostic equipment and maximize its usage.

  • Deliver the National Genetics and Genomics Strategy with a focus on staffing.

  • Ensure the Department of Health publishes an annual HSE national workforce plan and reviews the use of agency staff.

  • Increase college places for doctors, nurses, and dentists.

Transport:

• Focus: Invest in major public transport projects to improve and expand public transport across Ireland.

• Target: Use €10bn to start construction on key projects, including Metrolink, Dart+, Luas extensions, and rail projects in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford.

• Implementation:

  • Allocate €7bn from the Apple tax money and €3bn from other sources.

  • Include projects like BusConnects, Metro, DART+, Luas extensions in Dublin, and light rail in Cork.

  • Reopen and upgrade railway lines, including new lines to Shannon and a metropolitan electric rail service in Limerick.

  • Open a bus corridor in Galway and explore light rail for the city.

  • Continue reducing public transport fares and introduce a “Climate Ticket” for additional savings.

  • Improve the reliability of bus services.

Environment:

• Focus: Restore and conserve Ireland’s biodiversity.

• Target: Develop and implement comprehensive plans and resources for nature restoration and biodiversity conservation.

• Implementation:

  • Develop an ambitious Nature Restoration Plan for various ecosystems.

  • Advocate for a European Nature Restoration Fund separate from the Common Agricultural Policy.

  • Fully resource and implement the fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan.

  • Increase NPWS resources to 1,100 full-time staff.

  • Tackle wildlife crime and enhance engagement with An Garda Siochana.

  • Expand the EPA’s remit to include biodiversity and ensure public access to biodiversity data.

  • Develop a habitat map and ecosystem accounts by 2030.

  • Mainstream EU LIFE Nature and Water programmes.

  • Pilot biodiversity net gain in at least three local authorities.