Dáil debates
Thursday, 8 February 2024
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
National Development Plan
11:40 am
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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98. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the concern raised in the recent ESRI report, The National Development Plan in 2023: Priorities and Capacity, submitted to his Department to the effect that the eastern and midland region is experiencing a share of population growth beyond that envisaged in the context of the 2040 target; the steps his Department will take to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5750/24]
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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This very much relates to my earlier question. I ask the Minister for his views on the concern raised in the recent ESRI report that was submitted to the Department, The National Development Plan in 2023: Priorities and Capacity, which states that the eastern and midland region is experiencing a share of population growth beyond that envisaged in the context of the 2040 target. Perhaps the Minister might outline what steps his Department is taking to address this and if he might make a statement on the matter.
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is probably aware, the ESRI report notes higher than expected population growth and planning permissions in the eastern and midland region between 2016 and 2020. However, but it puts forward a caveat in this regard by acknowledging that the NDP is still in its early stage of development relative to the 2040 targets. However, this is an area of concern for myself and my colleagues as we work to achieve balanced regional development across the State in line with the NDP. We need to consider this issue further. As a result, the ESRI report points to the importance of the ongoing review of the national planning framework, NPF, in the context of the NDP and the need to ensure balanced regional development and compact growth.
In light of his work, the Deputy will be aware that the NPF is under review. That review is due to be finalised in quarter 2 of this year. The review will also update the demographic and econometric modelling work which underpinned the original NPF in order to make adjustments, as required, in response to the census of 2022. In addition, the ESRI report on the NDP notes that the planned issue of the sustainable residential development and compact settlement guidelines for planning authorities were published by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on 15 January. I hope that the issues the Deputy is referring to can be considered not just by me but also by the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, in the context of the review of the NPF.
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has a very important role to play here with respect to the strategic development of the country. What we are trying to do with the NPF is rebalance our island. That is the stated objective. To that end, we have to take the opportunity presented. The way to do this is by investing in the right kind of infrastructure. We have to be cautious and guard against embracing the predict-and-provide approach whereby we see a problem emerging and we react by adding another lane to a motorway, building a new road or whatever. That is where most of the political pressure comes into play. We are expected to react to what we see emerging. That pulls us away from taking a strategic approach which is more about deciding and providing. In other words, to look at the country we want to have in a few decades' time and decide where we want the demand to exist and where we want the people to live, and to make our infrastructure investment decisions accordingly.
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I completely agree. The Deputy is dead right. That is why a strength of what we have tried to do so far is to integrate our capital plans and expenditure into the national framework and try to run both together.
On the Deputy's point about the need for more forward planning and the need to be more predictable, this is the reason why we have set out capital expenditure ceilings for the entire Government for a number of years in advance. As the Deputy is aware, these are done for a period of an additional four years every time we do the summer economic statement. I am now in the process of trying to confirm to individual Departments what their expenditure ceilings will be for 2026. We are doing all of that then be in a position to enable the kind of long-term planning which the Deputy has rightly made the case for.
Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister. He will probably agree that it requires political courage to make some of these decisions because the pressure is very much towards reacting to what we see around us rather than the long term. I was reminded of the of the courage of the late Séamus Brennan, a Minister in the 2007 to 2011 Government, who decided to reopen the Galway to Limerick railway line. At the time, many naysayers were of the view that it was a total white elephant and would never be used. Now, there is standing room only on the trains between Limerick and Galway. It was the right investment, and it Mr. Brennan displayed courage. If we had not had a Minister with the foresight of Séamus Brennan at the time, that piece of infrastructure would not have been reopened.
This is incumbent on all of us. I have been making the case in the last few days, and have raised it with my own party leader, for linking Shannon Airport to the national railway network, which is costed at €200 million in the strategic rail review. It would completely change how airlines and passengers view Shannon. It is critical to rebalancing this country.
11:50 am
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government is currently involved in making decisions with regard to the allocation of additional capital funding. What we have coming up is a large selection of significant public transport projects. They are all about the long term and will take many years to build. They will all be complex and demanding but will be worth it in the end. With regard to the opening point the Deputy made about the need to make long-term decisions, particularly with regard to transport that can enable the sustainable development of communities and the integration of different forms of transport together, I completely agree. The really big things that can change a community and change a country take a long time to deliver and require political determination and courage.
With regard to the particular point made regarding the linking of Shannon Airport by rail, as the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is doing a lot of work on the strategic future of rail and I am sure he will want to give that matter consideration.