Flick through the programme for government from 2020 and compare it with the 2025 version being discussed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members this weekend, and some similarities are clear.
Most obviously, there is the language. In 2020, the word “examine” appeared 68 times; in 2025 there are 86 references to It. There are 120 references to “reviews” in the latest iteration, whereas in 2020 there were 126 such references.
There were 13 promises to “explore” various issues five years ago, and 34 such references in the latest version. Given Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil formed the core of both governments a commonality of language is not surprising.
Another common theme is that, where there is detail in both documents, it is often closely linked to the ‘third party’. The programme for government 2020 had specific proposals around climate change and public transport.
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These were put forward by the Green Party and in unambiguous terms. A small sample of such measures are below:
• Ban the sale of new and the importation of second-hand petrol and diesel cars from 2030
• Retrofit 500,000 homes by 2030
• Extend the Smoky Coal ban to new towns
• Legislate for e-scooters and e-bikes
• Increase the carbon tax to 100 euro per tonne by 2030
Not a consider, review, assess or develop among them.
As Cliff Taylor points out this weekend, in the 2025 programme for government too, the firmer commitments tend to be in the areas of interest to the Independents.
In a coalition compromises are inevitable. From the starting point of their election manifestos, the programme for government text sees many promises watered down. Yet, when both programmes for governments are looked at, the extent to which smaller parties appear to provide some of the sharpest detail is notable.
This may be because smaller parties realise they likely have just one term to make an impact. Larger parties may take a longer-term view. Another notable aspect is the oscillating focus from plan to plan when it comes to some of the most pressing issues facing the State, particularly climate change.
Such a shift in focus appears political as the urgency and pressures in this area have only grown in the intervening five years. Whatever the reasons for the vagueness in the language and the wide range of issues referenced, such a format has two consequences.
Firstly, the average voter will find it difficult if not impossible to sit down before the next election and form a view as to whether many of objectives within it were broadly achieved.
Secondly, the wide range of issues include in the programme coupled with the lack of specific targets in many cases means it is hard to discern priorities.
As Taylor points out this weekend, there appears to be “276 new spending promises in the incoming coalition’s programme for government” – even when you allow for the vagueness of the wording making it unclear at times if there is a commitment to action.
However, here too the vagueness continues with an absence of significant new revenue raising measures which strongly hints that the new government is expecting the current bumper corporation tax revenues to continue.
As Taylor notes, the outgoing Government had a strong record of managing the economy and the new administration starts in a strong fiscal position. “However, the outgoing Coalition’s record on investment and improved service delivery ranged from patchy to poor”.
The challenge for the new government will be to turn this wide range of vague proposals into tangible, swift progress.
Five Key Reads
1) There is plenty of doom-mongering about what a Trump presidency would mean for Ireland. But what is really at stake when the business man turned politician begins his second-term? Cliff Taylor walks us through what Ireland can expect from the new administration.
2) Earlier this month we reported on the partial collapse of a house in Inchicore into the river Camac. This week, Olivia Kelly and Sarah Burns report that hundreds of Dublin homes are potentially at risk of damage, according to a senior Dublin City Council engineer.
3) The programme for government is a sprawling 162 pages covering the incoming coalition’s plans for every department and policy area across the next five years. But what jumps out? Jack Horgan-Jones takes a look at the main points from climate measures to childcare and policing.
4) Sheila Wayman this week spoke to Galway nurse Aoife Commins, who believes that as a white, heterosexual woman who is knowledgeable about sexual health, she is an example of how becoming HIV-positive can happen to anyone. Aoife knew that although HIV is not curable, it is now a treatable condition and she could expect to live a long and healthy life with it. However, she did fear the stigma she might face.
5) Plans to introduce modern foreign languages in a new curriculum for all primary schools could “dilute the status of Irish”, according to some educators. The concerns are outlined in a consultation report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, which Carl O’Brien reports on here.
In this week’s On the Money newsletter, Dominic writes about how your PRSI benefits can save you thousands of euro. Sign up here to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox every Friday.
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