Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

134. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if in the context of the growing needs of the recovering economy, he expects to be in a position to meet infrastructural requirements of the widest possible nature affecting economic performance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26365/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

143. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if an audit has been undertaken in respect of infrastructural requirements such as housing, water, roads and or sewerage treatment facilities requiring urgent investment with a view to determining the way in which such investment might be undertaken thereby facilitating the provision of vital infrastructure and economic progress notwithstanding compliance with public spending guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26375/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 143 together.

Assessment of sectoral infrastructure, and management of resource envelopes to address urgent priorities, is a matter for the relevant line Departments in the first instance.

The purpose of public spending guidelines, such as the Public Spending Code, is to support the process of directing available resources to the most efficient and effective solutions. 

The Capital Plan 'Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021' set out a €42 billion framework to address our priority infrastructure needs up to 2021.  Government has already committed to increase capital expenditure under the plan by €5.14 billion in the 2016 Summer Economic Statement (SES).

Increases in capital spend need to be sustainable, and at a level that the construction sector has the capacity to respond to with increased output.

The Capital Plan is now being reviewed to ensure that capital spending remains strictly aligned with national economic and social priorities.

Submissions in relation to the review, and the additional funding available for allocation, were sought from Departments in January and are currently under review by my Department.  Assessments and recommendations made by each Department will play an important role in ensuring that the additional funding is aligned with priorities in terms, for example, of overall economic and social returns from increased public capital investment.   

A public consultation process was also held in April to ascertain the views of the public and key stakeholders on what our national infrastructure priorities should be.  This consultation also sought views on infrastructure investment priorities beyond the period of the current Capital Plan, which will help formulate a longer term Capital Plan for the next 10 years.

The review by my Department of the submission received from Departments and from the public consultation process will be informed by a macro-economic assessment of the context for capital spending, to insure that appropriate public investment in infrastructure continues to support our economic and social progress, while an Infrastructure Capacity and Demand Analysis being carried out by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service will also help inform my Department's assessment of the submissions.