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

As the Deputy knows, the national development plan relates to the public capital programme. We have a record envelope of €10.8 billion this year and are keen to proceed with and set out an ambitious capital development plan for our country out to 2030 to make sure it is properly aligned with the priorities in the programme for Government of housing, transport, health and, of course, climate action. The national development plan is, in essence, a sister document to the national planning framework and both make up the overall Project Ireland 2040 overarching strategy for our country.

I dealt with the new PEACE PLUS programme earlier which, as the Deputy knows, is being developed by the special EU programmes body, a North-South implementation body. It will have a €1 billion fund over the next number of years for a range of cross-Border initiatives. I am in dialogue with the Minister, Mr. Conor Murphy MLA, of the Northern Executive to try to get the maximum benefit for Northern Ireland and south of the Border.

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