Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the capital allocation across his Department in each of the years 2018 to 2022. [20445/18]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his Department's capital allocation for projects underway and projects already tendered or committed to spending contractually. [20462/18]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his Department's capital allocation in each of the years 2018 to 2022 disaggregated according to capital allocated to projects underway, projects contractually committed to and projects yet to be initiated. [20479/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 238, inclusive, together.  

My Department will oversee significant capital investment amounting to almost €1.5 billion over the period 2018 to 2022. Annual capital ceilings in respect of this five year period were published in the National Development Plan, as follows: 2018 - €209 million; 2019 - €256 million; 2020 - €297 million; 2021 - €317 million and 2022 - €400 million.

Key capital programmes and schemes being progressed by my Department this year include:

The 2018 capital allocation also includes operational capital for my Department and a number of its agencies, including TG4, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Environment Protection Agency. 

Detailed programme allocations for each of the years 2019 to 2022 will be agreed as part of the annual Estimates process and published in the Revised Estimates Volume, subsequent to each Budget Day. 

During the period to 2022, 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. 

Delivery of the new high speed broadband network under the National Broadband Plan, which is currently in the final stages of procurement, will ensure that the opportunities presented by the digital transformation are available to every citizen, company and community in Ireland.  

An ambitious programme of climate action measures, including energy-related investments by commercial State companies, will position Ireland on a sustainable trajectory to achieve a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy and society.  The Energy Efficiency Programme, funded by my Department and delivered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, will be significantly expanded to accelerate the contribution of the built environment to the collective effort to reduce emissions.  Schemes targeted at energy efficiency upgrades will include deep retrofitting of housing, commercial and public building stock.

Other key energy measures include the rollout of a new Support Scheme for Renewable Heat and an expansion of the Electric Vehicle Grant Scheme, aimed at promoting the electrification of heat and transport. There will also be increased funding for energy research programmes to accelerate diversification away from fossil fuels to green energy.

Investments will 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.