Policies for Workers
Here's what the parties would do for you.
A Public Model of Childcare
Childcare fees cut by €200/month immediately. Cap of €200/month by 2028.
Ireland has some of the highest childcare costs in Europe. Parents are paying more for childcare than for their mortgage. Many mothers are effectively working …
Why this matters to you: Affordable childcare so parents aren't forced out of the workforce
Phased to 2028Workers' Rights and Fair Pay
Statutory right to union recognition. Living wage of €14.50/hour. End zero-hour contracts.
The share of national income going to workers has been declining for decades. As employment has become more precarious, the number of working poor is …
Why this matters to you: Statutory union recognition, living wage of €14.50/hr, end zero-hour contracts
€300 in tax credits per worker40 Measures to Cut the Cost of Living
40 costed measures: freeze rents, cap childcare at €250/month, free GP care, €1 off-peak fares, solar panels on 500,000 homes.
Ireland is now the most expensive country in the EU after Luxembourg. The price of goods and services is 38% above the EU average. Once-off …
Why this matters to you: Living wage, €300 tax credit, right to flexible work
Transport as a Public Good
€1 off-peak fares. Free transport for under-18s. MetroLink and DART expansion. Double rural Local Link funding.
Ireland's public transport is underfunded, inconsistent, and increasingly privatised. Rural areas are almost entirely car-dependent. The Social Democrats would treat transport as a public good, …
Why this matters to you: €1 off-peak fares for commuters, 24-hour public transport
Supporting Families: Leave, Poverty and Flexible Work
13 weeks paid parent's leave each. €350/week benefits. Eliminate child poverty by 2030. Right to flexible work.
Ireland lags behind other countries on paid leave, childcare and family supports. 188,000 children are living in poverty. The Social Democrats would ensure the first …
Why this matters to you: Right to flexible work, 4-day week, term-time working