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

As Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations for Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects, within the allocations agreed under the national development plan, rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. The Government has committed €165 billion for capital investment, as set out in the national development plan, NDP, published last October. The figures announced in the NDP represent a substantial increase of almost 50% on the previous NDP of 2018 and they target investment levels among the highest in the EU, at 5% of GNI*.

This year, €12 billion has been made available to Departments to spend on vital infrastructure in areas such as transport, education and health, as well as housing, water infrastructure and cultural amenities. The NDP includes indicative Exchequer allocations for each Department for a five-year period, 2021 to 2025, and overall capital expenditure ceilings out to 2030. This expenditure was considered and agreed to support those sectors that will be key to delivering the ten national strategic outcomes identified in the national planning framework, NPF, including NSO 1, relating to compact growth. NSO 1 aims to secure the sustainable growth of more compact urban and rural settlements supported by jobs, housing and essential services.

Initiatives such as town centre first, Croí Cónaithe and the urban regeneration and development fund are aimed at supporting the regeneration of our towns and cities and encouraging compact growth. In addition to these specific measures, substantial investment has been prioritised for sustainable transport, including active travel, BusConnects for all our major cities, MetroLink and DART+, all of which will further contribute to more sustainable cities and boost infilled development.

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