Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

133. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for a review of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36593/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In order to ensure that the Programme for Government priorities are achieved and in responding to the unprecedented impact of Covid-19, it is timely now for the Government to bring forward the previously planned review of the National Development Plan and consider the most important challenges facing us as a nation including climate action, housing, balanced regional development, healthcare, social welfare policy, transport, education, and the associated resourcing requirements.

Throughout the process of the NDP Review, the infrastructure projects which are in the pipeline will continue to be developed and delivered. Public investment will continue to support the economic recovery and provide confidence and certainty to the Irish construction sector.

The review will consider the following fundamental elements:

- Level:  There will be an assessment of the economic and social case for the overall level of capital expenditure commitment into the future.

- Share:  This element will consider the share of capital expenditure across Departments or sectors and the need to adjust Sectoral allocations in order to successfully deliver on Government priorities.

- Priorities: This will ensure alignment with the policy priorities in the Programme for Government, notably housing, health, climate action, transport and job creation and enterprise development.

- Spatial Alignment: This will investigate whether the NDP aligns sufficiently with the spatial strategy set out in the National Planning Framework of compact growth as well as city and regional growth targets.

- Governance: The final key area will assess whether the structures and rules for the management, governance and oversight of projects are in place to deliver on the ambitions of the revised NDP.

The review being conducted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will not be considering the merit of individual projects or sectoral policy strategies as this is a matter for individual Departments and Agencies.  

A public consultation entitled Review to Renew also launched last week on gov.ie and will be open until 29 January 2021. Departments have also been asked to make submissions by end-January 2021. A report summarizing inputs and technical papers will be published in spring 2021. Following this the updated NDP setting new ten year capital ceilings out to 2030 and five year rolling departmental ceilings and priorities will be published in Summer 2021.