Ireland’s November 29 election results suggest unremarkable political change ahead, with the center-right Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parties set to form another government after winning 22% and 21% of the vote, respectively. If these predictions hold, Fine Gael will secure over a decade in power.
The left party Sinn Féin, which secured 19% of the vote and is projected to win 37 seats—the same number as Fine Gael—remains another major player in the Dáil. A host of smaller parties also contested the election, with mixed results. Social democratic and left-wing options like the Labour party performed solidly, while the Green Party, a junior member in the previous administration, faced a devastating outcome, winning only one seat and leaving little room for optimism.
Although some progressive and left independent candidates, such as former European parliamentarian Clare Daly, were not elected, there was strong support for people-centered policies in this election. In recent years, Ireland has struggled with the effects of austerity, particularly in sectors like healthcare and housing, which in fact, emerged as a top priority for voters in this election.
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Most parties in the election pledged to address the housing crisis, including homelessness. However, doubts remain about whether another Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael government can succeed, given their past failures to control rising rents and housing prices. In contrast, Sinn Féin promised to confront big landlords, vulture funds, and “vested interests that are making the housing crisis worse.”
“The difference between Sinn Féin and the government parties is that we would deliver homes that people can afford,” the party wrote in its program.
Equally worrying is the state of the healthcare system, where a shortage of hospital beds and overall care capacity has resulted in long waiting times. Mental health services operate at only a fraction of the required capacity, and patients in emergency wards are frequently left waiting on trolleys due to the lack of available beds. While parties across the political spectrum acknowledge the problem, the key question is who can effectively address it.
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin have all pledged to add thousands of hospital beds, but their approaches to achieving access to healthcare differ. Sinn Féin’s approach focuses on strengthening the public sector, providing adequate funding for health workers, and creating a long-sought all-Ireland National Health Service. The party’s program includes plans to secure a public general practice contract to expand access to primary healthcare and to recruit 40,000 health workers over five years, relying on domestic training and recruitment. While other parties’ health programs do address problems in healthcare, they remain much closer to a mainstream liberal narrative and managerial approach.
“The government has normalized failure in healthcare,” Sinn Féin wrote. “They accept that patients on trolleys, children waiting for treatment in pain, and long health waiting lists are now the standard. Their failures leave us with a health service in perpetual crisis.”
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In the coming weeks, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are expected to begin negotiations to outline their collaboration in forming the next administration. While significant change demanded by the public is unlikely, the outcome will certainly create opportunities for campaigns from the left.
