Politics watch: Sinn Féin housing plan, Dáil to resume, Coalition tensions

James Cox

Here, we have a look at the issues likely to dominate political debate in the week to come.

Sinn Féin's housing plan gives much-needed boost

There has been a lot of doom and gloom for Sinn Féin with underwhelming local and European election results, followed by falling popularity in successive political opinion polls.

However, a new housing plan has given the party a boost.

Sinn Féin has unveiled a plan to spend €39 billion on housing over the next five years to deliver 300,000 homes in a project the party described as the most ambitious housing programme in the state’s history.

Entitled A Home of Your Own, the document runs to some 100 pages and sets out how the party will “transform housing” in Ireland if it is elected to government.

Sinn Féin said it will phase out existing subsidies and shared equity schemes as well as reducing rent subsidies and delivering affordable homes between €250,000 and €300,000.

It also pledged to introduce a stamp duty exemption for First Time Buyers, which will see house buyers not paying stamp duty on a property valued at €450,000 or less.

Government parties quickly went on the attack, with Taoiseach Simon Harris calling it "an almost Frankenstein arrangement".

The main criticism is the fact it would scrap existing housing schemes and supports.

Some economists have argued the plan is comprehensive and promising.

The reality may be somewhere in between, but it has given the party a much-needed boost.

Dáil return

The Dáil is set to resume on Wednesday, September 18th, after the summer recess.

All attention will turn to Budget 2025, which is due to be announced on October 1st.

Sinn Féin's housing plan will likely be another topic of discussion.

Another key question will be the timing of the next general election.

Mr Harris has continued to insist it will come no sooner than March 2025, but sources have indicated that key Cabinet members are pushing for a November election.

We are likely to have an answer soon, as the obvious time to announce a November poll would be after the budget.

If it is to be March, Mr Harris could definitively rule out a November date.

Coalition tensions

The budget is likely to bring simmering tensions within the Coalition to the surface.

Sources have indicated Fianna Fáil and Green Party figures are unhappy with what they perceive as Mr Harris already taking credit for the measures to be announced.

Meanwhile, all three parties will likely attempt to use the budget to highlight their own identities, with an election on the way, whether it's in November or March.

The Green Party, under new leader Roderic O'Gorman, has already shown it has no problem in calling out government colleagues as it picked a fight with Fianna Fáil, and Minister for Finance Jack Chambers, over Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT).

Abroad

In the US, it's full election mode with November 5th and the US presidential election fast approaching.

A poll from The New York Times and Sienna College on Sunday found Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are neck and neck.

The presidential debate between Mr Trump and Ms Harris this week will be absolutely crucial.

It will be aired on ABC News on Tuesday, September 10th, at 9pm Eastern time (2am Wednesday, September 11th Irish time).

In the UK, prime minister Keir Starmer has said the NHS is "broken" as he outlined challenges facing the Brisith health service.

He visited Ireland at the weekend, as Mr Harris met the prime minister and the pair targeted a reset in Anglo-Irish relations.