Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together.

The new programme for Government underscores our commitment both to solving the housing crisis and to providing the infrastructure to sustain a growing economy and society. Delivering infrastructure effectively is necessary to continue to attract foreign investment to Ireland, grow our economy, foster regional development, deliver on our housing commitments, meet social needs and achieve our very ambitious climate goals.

The programme for Government sets out an extensive range of new actions in relation to infrastructure and housing in particular, building on the progress achieved in recent years. These commitments include the creation of a dedicated infrastructure division in a reconfigured Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. This new division will be tasked with working with stakeholders on strategic project selection, prioritisation and delivery and will align with national priorities. It will develop a sustainable pipeline of projects to support delivery of the ambition under the national development plan, while expediting delivery and ensuring projects represent value for money. There will be an updating of the NDP in the early months of this year, out to the summer. Equally, the programme for Government sets out our ambition to accelerate housing supply, recognising housing as a major social and economic challenge. The programme sets out our intention to ramp up construction capacity, implement the Planning and Development Act, increase the quantum of zoned and serviced land, remove unnecessary red tape, increase innovation, and provide predictable policy which attracts private investment side by side with State investment.

These commitments build on achievements over the past five years where there has been a record level of more than €65 billion invested in capital infrastructure projects across the country. In budget 2025 we also allocated, on top of the existing funding, an additional €3 billion from the sale of shares in AIB to support further investment in water, energy and housing. The forthcoming review of the NDP will update the allocations for the years ahead, reflecting the priorities in the programme for Government.

There have already been unprecedented levels of State investment in housing under the Housing for All plan. Budget 2025 dedicated a record €6 billion in capital investment to housing for the current year, with about 130,000 homes delivered since 2020. There is a significant pipeline of commencements. The Cabinet committees will be important now in terms of policy development, overseeing its work. We will be establishing a reformed structure of Cabinet committees within 30 days of this new Government. This will include a new Cabinet committee on infrastructure as well as re-establishing the Cabinet committee on housing. I expect both of these committees to meet in the coming weeks, with the housing committee meeting next week.

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