The decision by Government to commence a review of the National Development Plan (NDP) is a welcome and timely move to ensure we are investing in the right infrastructure for Laois, according to local Fin Gael TD William Aird.
Deputy Aird said: “The announcement by the Government to commence a review of the NDP allows us to prioritise the delivery of critical infrastructure across housing, energy, transport and digital services in County Laois over the next five years.
“A particular focus will be on increasing investment to support housing delivery and competitiveness by prioritising infrastructure such as energy grid capacity, water supply, transport connectivity and digital health systems”.
To meet the ambitious timeline for the review, officials in DPENDR have commenced work identifying the objectives, priorities and critical milestones for the review.
Individual departments will now be asked to identify their priority programmes, with particular delivery focus on 2026 to 2030 and on any projects that are concluding.
A public consultation process will also be launched in the coming months, offering stakeholders and members of the public the chance to make submissions. The review will include a climate assessment for all programmes receiving funding.
Welcoming the news, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform Emer Higgins said: “This review gives us a real opportunity to review all public capital investment to 2035 and will include Exchequer funds, the Apple Escrow funds, the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, and proceeds of the AIB share sales.
“The Government will prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next five years.
“While there will be a record level of funding available, we will have to make strategic choices, targeting projects that boost economic growth and competitiveness, while delivering real value for money”.
Concluding, Fine Gael’s Deputy Aird said: “Stable, long-term delivery of essential infrastructure is an absolute priority for the Government.
“The review of the NDP announced today refocuses and reenergises the delivery of vital infrastructure for County Laois and ensures the continuation of sustained growth and prosperity for our country.”
Project Ireland 2040 includes the National Planning Framework (NPF), which sets the overarching spatial strategy out to 2040, along with the National Development Plan (NDP), which sets out the ten year investment strategy.
The National Development Plan itself sets out the investment priorities that will underpin the successful implementation of the NPF, and wider Government policies.
The overall funding of €165 billion for the lifetime of the National Development Plan out to 2030 was allocated on an indicative basis to each of the ten National Strategic Outcomes set out in the NPF.
In addition, the NDP also set out five-year expenditure allocations by Department for the period 2021 – 2025. The multi-annual NDP ceilings were devised to give Departments a degree of certainty for future planning.
An additional €2.25 billion was allocated in 2024 as part of the update to the National Development Plan which set out revised ceilings from 2024 to 2026.
The Programme for Government (PfG) commits to an ‘early review of the National Development Plan which will be completed in July 2025’.
SEE ALSO – Laois County Council seeking expressions of interest for Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) 2025
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