Details of the Programme for Government are emerging and they include a number of commitments for housing, health and the climate.

Following a period of negotiations, an agreement was reached yesterday between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independents.

This afternoon, a number of housing, climate and health commitments have come to the fore.

Leadership

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will be Taoiseach until November 16th 2027.

The office will then rotate, with Fine Gael leader Simon Harris stepping into the position.

The parties have agreed to five budgets with a General Election to be held after November 2029.

Housing

The Programme includes a commitment to build 300,000 homes between now and 2030.

There is also a commitment to build an average of 12,000 social homes a year.

Additionally, the Programme commits to extending both the Help to Buy Scheme and the First Homes Scheme for the next five years.

In terms of renting, the Programme commits to progressively increasing the renters tax credit and establishing a rent price register.

Health

The Programme for Government commits to a number of health promises, including the construction of four new elective hospitals - two in Dublin, one in Cork and one in Galway - and opening the National Children's Hospital.

It also commits to reducing wait-times for Sláintecare.

The Programme commits to legislating for the right to be forgotten for cancer survivors seeking insurance to take effect seven years after their treatment ends.

In terms of beds, it commits to increasing the number of in-patient hospital beds between 4,000 to 4,500 and increasing ICU beds by 100.

It also commits to expanding free GP services to children under the age of 12, increasing staffing and resources for spinal surgeries for children and increasing the number of consultants in emergency medicine by 50%.

There are also commitments to extend the ages for BowelScreen and BreastCheck and to expand eligibility for free IVF.

Climate

In line with previous plans, the Programme commits to reducing emissions by 51% from 2018 levels by 2030.

There is also a commitment to improve retrofitting grants and to explore the idea of group retrofitting.

Feature image: Simon Harris and Micheál Martin at a press conference. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie