Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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222. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for a national infrastructure commission; if this will form part of the capital plan review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5169/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has initiated a two-stage review of the Capital Plan.  The first phase (i.e. the mid-term review) will be a short, focused review of priorities aimed primarily at advising Government - in the context of Budget 2018 - on how additional funding committed for capital investment should be allocated over the remainder of the period of the Capital Plan.

The second phase will take place following the completion of the mid-term review.  It will involve the development of a long-term (i.e. 20+ year) planning framework for public capital investment facilitating a fundamental examination of Ireland's long-term infrastructure needs.  Providing greater visibility in relation to future investment is crucial to building the long-term competitiveness and growth potential of the Irish economy.  It will also help guide planning and decision-making on future investment undertaken by the private sector.  In addition, it will help strengthen the alignment of public capital investment and state-backed investment with the requirements which arise from the National Planning Framework in due course.      

As part of that longer-term planning process the scope for establishing an expert advisory group to advise Government on our long-term infrastructural planning requirements will be examined.