Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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580. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his Department's capital allocation in each of the years 2018 to 2022; and the areas to which funds will be allocated in each of those years. [9514/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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My Department will oversee significant capital investment amounting to €1.479 billion over the five year period to 2022. The 2018 capital allocations by Programme area for my Department are set out in the table below, further detail of which is provided in the 2018 Revised Estimates Volume.Capital Allocation 2018

Annual capital ceilings in the subsequent years to 2022 have been published in the national development plan and are as follows: 2019 - €256 million; 2020 - €297 million; 2021 - €317 million and 2022 - €400 million.  Detailed programme allocations for these years will be agreed as part of the annual Estimates process and published in the Revised Estimates Volume subsequent to each budget day.

During the five year period, my Department and its agencies will play a lead role in the delivery of a number of the strategic investment priorities identified in the national development plan. A significant expansion of investment in energy efficiency upgrades, including deep retrofitting of housing, commercial and public building stock, will accelerate the contribution of the built environment to the collective effort to reduce CO2 emissions.

Other key energy measures include the roll-out of the support scheme for renewable heat and the electric vehicle grant scheme which are aimed at promoting the electrification of heat and transport, along with increased investment in energy research.

Delivery of the new high speed broadband network under the national broadband plan will ensure that the opportunities presented by the digital transformation are available to every community in Ireland.  Investments will be also be focussed on supporting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy and protecting our environment, while ensuring the sustainable management of our natural resources.