The Green Party has unveiled ambitious plans to allocate approximately €7 billion from the Apple tax windfall to transform Ireland’s public transport infrastructure. The proposal, announced as part of their general election manifesto, aims to “supercharge” major transport projects across the country.
The party’s plan includes funding for significant developments such as Metrolink, Dart+, Luas extensions, and rail projects in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford. An additional €3 billion from other sources would supplement the Apple tax funds, bringing the total investment to €10 billion.
A notable initiative is the introduction of a “Climate Ticket” to replace the existing Tax Saver system, designed to better accommodate modern hybrid work patterns. The party also pledges to expand rural ‘Local Link’ services and increase late-night urban bus operations.
Beyond transport, the Greens propose providing free solar panels to 200,000 low-income homes and extending the Help to Buy scheme to include tenant purchases of their rental properties.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has announced its own financial policy, focusing on public service investment and introducing a wealth tax modeled on the Spanish system, where citizens pay annual taxes on their total net assets.