Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As I said, I am taking these questions on behalf of the Minister. Project Ireland 2040 sets out the Government's overarching vision for the provision of infrastructure in order to better cater for the needs of the State’s existing population and to accommodate projected population increases in a balanced and sustainable way. Project Ireland 2040 includes the national planning framework, NPF, which sets out the overarching spatial strategy for the next 20 years, and the ten strategic outcomes, to provide a strategic framework for the selection and development of appropriate interventions to address infrastructure needs at a national, regional and local level.

Under the NPF, the three regional assemblies are now responsible for co-ordinating, promoting and supporting the strategic planning and sustainable development of their regions, consistent with the objectives of the NPF, through the preparation of regional spatial and economic strategies. These strategies help inform the targeting of public infrastructure investment at regional and local level. It is important to note that the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, includes in-built mechanisms to allow for regular revision and replacement of the NPF. Such revisions are relevant to reflect changing circumstances that have taken place since the NPF was published. The Act requires the Government to either revise, replace or state why the Government has decided not to revise every six years after the publication of the NPF. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage would be better placed to advise on the status of that.

The ten-year NDP has been put in place to underpin the implementation of the NPF and to support the development and meet the infrastructure needs of all counties and regions, including both urban and rural areas. The NDP contains expenditure commitments for a range of strategic investment priorities. The Department is responsible for publishing the NDP and jointly monitors its delivery. As part of the most recent update to the NDP, the Department co-ordinated the inputs from the relevant funding bodies and conducted supporting analysis. Within this framework, the funding Departments and agencies identify infrastructure needs relating to their own sectoral strategies and goals and prioritise projects accordingly. Therefore, it is up to each Department to decide how projects are best targeted to deliver for challenging and changing demographics from within the allocations up to 2030.

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