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

I thank the Deputies for submitting these questions.

The revised NDP is currently being finalised and it will set out annual expenditure ceilings for the initial five years for each departmental Vote group, including capital ceilings for 2022. This document is due to be published in the coming weeks, following final Governmental approval. Subject to Government approval, it is my intention that the revised NDP will be published before the budget.

As part of the programme for Government, the review was brought forward from 2022 in order to assess the resourcing requirements for the most important challenges facing us, as a nation, including Covid-19, climate action, housing, balanced regional development, healthcare, etc. The final phase commenced in October 2020, which included public consultation, Review to Renew, as well as further evidence-gathering by way of sectoral submissions for Departments and a series of technical papers. The results of phase 1 were published in a report in April on my Department's website. The technical and consultative work carried out as part of phase 1 forms the evidence base to underpin the decisions being taken in phase 2 of the NDP. The objective of phase 2 is to set out the revised sectoral capital allocations as well as providing a renewed focus on delivery of efficient and cost-effective public infrastructure. The range of indicated sectoral priorities will be identified as part of the final revised NDP.

It is important to note that the NDP is fundamentally a high-level financial and budgetary plan which sets the framework and broad direction for investment priorities. Following the intensive work by my own Department and all other Departments on these issues, I look forward to being able to publish an ambitious plan that balances the significant demand for public investment across all sectors and regions of Ireland along with a major focus on improving the delivery of infrastructure projects to ensure speed of delivery and value for money for the general public.

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