Written answers

Thursday, 29 June 2017

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Capital Expenditure Programme

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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115. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress with regard to the core principles of the confidence and supply agreement to increase capital investment in transport, broadband, education, health and flood defences, respectively, following the mid-term review of the capital plan which is expected in mid-2017. [30770/17]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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This Government is strongly committed to increasing public funding for capital investment in Ireland over the next four years and beyond in order to meet key infrastructural requirements in areas such as transport, broadband, education, health and flood defences.

The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to additional capital investment over the period of the Capital Plan to 2021, to be allocated on the basis of the outcome of the ongoing review of the Capital Plan. 

In this context, in the Summer Economic Statement 2016 the Government committed to an additional €5.14 billion Exchequer capital investment over the period 2017-2021. Following the decision to commit €2.2 billion of this amount in support of the Government's Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, and other public capital commitments made in Estimates  2017, there is approximately €2.6bn in uncommitted additional capital funding over the period 2018 to 2021 which will be allocated following the completion of the review of the Capital Plan.

As part of the capital review submissions were received from Departments and a public consultation has also taken place. Analysis being carried out as part of the review includes an infrastructure capacity and demand analysis which will help inform decisions by Government in the context of Budget 2018 on the required levels of investment for the provision of critical infrastructure across the different sectors of the economy.

I expect that the approach I have set out in relation to the review of the Capital Plan will help ensure that our national public infrastructure is maintained and enhanced over the remaining period of the Capital Plan to 2021, and beyond. 

As set out in the Estimates 2017, it is projected that Exchequer capital expenditure will increase by almost 75% between 2016 and 2021.  The Government is therefore ensuring that our continued strong economic performance is reflected in increased capital expenditure over the coming period.

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