Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I strongly agree with the Deputy's sentiments on the importance of issues such as retrofitting. There is a commitment in the programme for Government that a large share of the proceeds we get from increases in carbon tax to 2030 will be ring-fenced for that purpose. I have been working closely with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to get the infrastructure right. For example, we greatly enhanced the capacity of the SEAI in decisions we made in the most recent budget because it will be a significant undertaking to achieve the critical mass of coverage that we need in retrofitting. That will be an important part of the new national development plan.

The Deputy touched on public transport. It goes without saying that will be vital in the new NDP. I agree there is considerable potential in the area of offshore renewables. The new marine planning Bill and the new marine framework being introduced are critical. We need to modernise the regulatory, approval and licensing regime that governs that area to ensure that projects can commence and get through the various stages because it takes too long at present. I look forward to seeing the progression of that Bill through the Oireachtas as soon as possible.

On the recovery and resilience plan, we are in the final stages of our engagement with the European Commission and expect to lodge the formal plan very soon. It involves a range of exciting projects, in both the green transition space and digitisation. There has been much progress in the past year or so in the provision of public services online and there will be further investment in that area. We have been working closely with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer on projects that can be delivered through the national recovery and resilience plan. We will receive grants, in today's value terms, of about €915 million over this year and next year and it will have to involve a balance of investments and reforms. We are at a very advanced stage. The Vice-President of the Commission, Commissioner Dombrovskis, wrote to me recently commending Ireland on the work we are doing and encouraged us to continue to work with the Commission. I expect we will submit that plan soon and, once it has been formally approved, it will involve the release of significant funding that will allow us to support some really exciting projects in further and higher education, digitisation, transport, retrofitting and a range of environmental measures. I look forward to discussing them in more detail.