Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is aware of the value of the overall national development plan and the number of years over which the money will be spent, so I will not go into those facts and figures now. Rather, I will cut to the question he asked about national strategic outcome, NSO, 10.

NSO 10 refers to access to quality childcare, education and health services and aims to ensure that the co-ordination and provision of childcare places, primary and post-primary schools places and health infrastructure with the spatial development of cities and regions is consistent with the objectives of the national planning framework.

In terms of childcare, during 2023, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth spent €215 million in its various capital programmes to support a range of key services in respect of children and young people and international migrants. The Department of Education spent almost €1.2 billion on primary and post-primary infrastructure and continued to deliver school building projects under various programmes and schemes, such as the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. The Department of Health invested more than €1.1 billion to improve health facilities and provide new primary care centres, community nursing units and hospital ward blocks.

In 2024, more than €13 billion is available to Departments to spend on vital infrastructure in areas such as childcare, education and health, as well as transport, housing, water infrastructure and cultural amenities. NSO 10 will continue to be a key Government priority as we aim to support the ongoing delivery of our national strategic outcomes in a way that is consistent with the national planning framework.

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