How is transport mentioned in Sinn Féin’s 2024 General Election manifesto?

An overview of all parties’ manifestos — with a focus on sustainable transport — can be found here.

Below are the transport-related mentions which were used to form the overview. It is provided here not as a review but as an accessible record of the transport commitments. For any formatting etc issues, please refer to the PDF version linked to (in the party name) below.

Sinn Féin’s manifesto is 180 pages, including over 1,500 words on transport.

Links to other pages:

Overview with parties compared

Fianna Fáil

Fine Gael

Social Democrats

Labour

Green Party

PBP

The following is Sinn Féin’s main section on transport:

TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

An increase in economic activity and employment opportunities is not possible no matter how much support the state offers without the elimination of the infrastructural deficits throughout the country. That is why Sinn Féin would invest in the development of the regions – to ensure the economy can continue to grow. Economic activity is concentrated in urban centres such as Dublin, and the biggest obstacle to growth at this juncture is a lack of infrastructure. Sinn Féin believes the prudent course of action is the development of regions and the elimination of these infrastructural deficits.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Transport is an important aspect of this infrastructure, and our policies would target public transport as we believe it is vital to ensure that every region of Ireland is connected. Adequate transport infrastructure makes it more viable for people to live and for businesses to operate.

In the West of Ireland, a major rail network along the Atlantic corridor has been absent for far too long. Sinn Féin would commit to finally delivering the Western Rail Corridor (WRC). Sinn Féin would restore the WRC all the way to Collooney (Sligo), which would then connect to the Sligo-Dublin rail line, and we would bring the reopening of the Navan rail line forward. These projects would be additional to the commitment made to the Metro North programme as well as commuter rails in Cork and other urban centres.

The party would also accelerate the Connecting Ireland (Local Link) rural bus scheme. These projects would see a substantial improvement in the connectedness of the West of Ireland, and we believe public transport will be vital for the region’s economic expansion.

Greater investment is required to make public transport a more reliable and more affordable option for people. For that purpose Sinn Féin propose to increase the annual allocation of PSO funding by €126 million.

Public transport should also be accessible. As the public and private transport sector has grown through the years, passenger numbers have continued to grow. However, we have seen many difficulties continue to face people with disabilities when utilising parts of our public transport service. Sinn Féin believes in equality of access for all. Sinn Féin would deliver a €102m capital programme to make all public transport wheelchair accessible.

Finally, Sinn Féin would deliver for Dublin. We would prioritise progressing the Metrolink project. Public transport will play a major role in the development of our regions. Rebalancing the economy means that people must be able to work, live and commute from all over the country, and that is why Sinn Féin is determined to deliver on these major projects.

Sinn Féin priorities include:

• Supplementing existing and pre-committed funding with an additional investment of €136m current and €422m capital in public transport
• Progressing the Western Rail Corridor
• Progressing the Navan Rail Line
• Investing in the expansion of Connecting Ireland (Local Link) bus schemes
• Reducing fares on public transport
• Making public transport accessible for all
• Progressing the Metrolink project

PRIVATE TRANSPORT
Sinn Féin is also aware of the need for many to drive particularly those who live in rural areas. For those people, the maintenance and improvement of our roads is of great importance. We have seen an increase in road fatalities and while poor maintenance of roads is not the only cause, it is a factor. With respect to regional development, the quality and connectivity of our road network remains important for economic development. For these reasons, Sinn Féin would provide an additional €200m beyond NDP pre-commitments for the maintenance and improvement of the road network, with a particular focus on local and regional roads.

Sinn Féin would also offset the increase in toll costs. Amid a cost-of-living crisis, people with no alternative means of transport are being targeted, as they must use their cars and these toll roads. To give workers and families a break, a Sinn Féin Transport Minister would offset the increase in toll costs in 2025 and would explore renegotiating the toll road contracts to secure better value for the public.

Economic and Regional Development
The National Development Plan 2030 was delivered to much fanfare in the early lifetime of the last government, however, despite the announcements of funding and commitments made on delivery, many projects have been deferred or paused. Many of the projects which have been deferred include vital bypasses and upgrade works – such as those required on the N17 and N20.

Sinn Féin priorities include:

• Delivering upgrade and bypass projects including a 50/50 funding commitment to the A5/N2 upgrade, upgrading the N17 and prioritising the N20 bypass
• Increasing the road safety and maintenance budget
• Hiring additional testers for the NCT and NDLS services to ensure timely and effective access to car and driver testing at an annual cost of nearly €3m
• Providing €7m additional Capital funding for the Safe Routes to School programme

AVIATION AND PORTS SECTOR

The development of the regions can also be targeted through ambition in the growth of our aviation and ports sector. Dublin Airport is hugely successful but has long been at capacity.

As an island, air travel is important to our economy and tourism sector. The passenger cap at Dublin airport should be lifted. Emphasis on developing routes to airports other than Dublin Airport, such as Cork, Shannon and Knock Airports, will also be a key priority to deliver new routes for our island. This would also have the
effect of providing a substantial economic boost in these areas and the surrounding areas.

As an island nation, we need to invest wisely in our ports and the infrastructure around them to ensure sustainable growth. While our ports sector is currently self-sufficient and profitable, it is a sector that must be supported through government policy to ensure it can continue to grow.

Investment in our ports presents a unique opportunity to develop offshore wind as part of our national
energy strategy, which would be a primary focus of a Sinn Féin government. The value of being self sufficient with regard to energy has been laid bare in the last number of years as international energy prices soared. The investment in our ports and a plan for offshore wind energy would be a guardrail against future inflation.

Sinn Féin priorities include:

• Development of regional airports
• Providing funding of at least €80m from our proposed Renewable Energy Investment Fund to kickstart investment in ports for offshore wind

Under the education section of Sinn Féin’s manifesto, school transport is also covered:

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

In government, Sinn Féin would reform and expand the school transport system to provide an additional 100,000 pupils with transport services and deliver lasting changes in our transport system. We would provide more families with a convenient, safe and affordable method of transport for their children to school, while also helping to lower our emissions and to reduce traffic congestion.

The current school transport system is plagued with under capacity and uncertainty. Each year, families face school transport chaos and confusion over government’s failure to plan, with many pupils left to know they have no place on a school bus weeks or even days before being back in school. This must change.

Our proposals, set out in our policy document Reforming and Expanding our School Transport System, would see the phased expansion of eligibility in terms of distance and nearest schools’ criteria so that more pupils would qualify for school transport services, including those who currently fall short of meeting requirements and rely on the annual uncertainty of concessionary tickets. This would ensure fairer access to the school transport scheme. We would reform and expand the school transport system while maintaining current payment rates to ensure affordability for families.

We are also committed to providing the investment needed to cater for the projected need for school
transport services by children with Special Educational Needs.

Sinn Féin would allocate an additional €250m to transform the school transport system and deliver
these priorities.

Sinn Féin priorities include:

• Reducing the distance criteria to 1km for primary and 2km for secondary school pupils
• Facilitating routes for pupils to a school other than their nearest school where sufficient demand exists
• Delivering 100,000 additional places on school transport by 2030

In the Sinn Féin’s disability section, the following is mentioned about transport:

In addition, public transport systems must be made accessible and reliable for people with disabilities. Full inclusion in society hinges on this for many.

For others, private transport – whether as the driver or passenger in a car or taxi – is a necessity for participation in work, education and social activities. In 2013 the Motorised Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance were closed to new applicants and despite promises from the government parties have not been replaced. The remaining tax-relief based Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme is not fit for purpose.

Under the Sinn Féin’s cost of living, the following is included:

The insurance companies have been charging motorists and small businesses rip-off insurance prices for too long even as the industry bolsters profit margins. Since 2020 the insurance industry has recorded sky-high profits while paying out large dividends to shareholders.

…

Sinn Féin priorities include:

…

• Not proceeding with the annual increases to carbon tax that have been scheduled by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party
• Reverse the two most recent hikes to excise duty on petrol and diesel for 12 months and offsetting the toll increases that are due in 2025

(only clear transport-related issues are included)