Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an overview of the progress made to date under National Strategic Outcome 4 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16093/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects or sectoral policy strategies, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. Each Minister is responsible for deciding on the priority programmes and projects that will be delivered under their remit within the NDP and for setting out the timelines for delivery.

The Government committed €165 billion towards capital investment through the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-30 published in 2021. This expenditure was considered and agreed in order to support those sectors that would be key in delivering the ten National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) identified in the National Planning Framework (NPF). An additional €2.25 billion of windfall corporate tax receipts has also been allocated from 2024 to 2026, to provide funding for critical infrastructure projects that are at an advanced stage, as well as to the existing Climate Action Fund.

In Budget 2025, almost €15 billion was made available from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects along with €3 billion of funds from the sale of the State’s shareholding in AIB in June 2024. This level of expenditure is pivotal in consolidating the progress already made and in supporting balanced regional development to address key infrastructural bottlenecks more rapidly, and lead to further improvements in living standards and competitiveness.

NSO 4 – Sustainable Mobility aims to invest in high-quality sustainable mobility to improve the quality of life of all our citizens, support our transition to a low-carbon society and enhance our economic competitiveness. Investment in projects currently being worked on in support of Project Ireland 2040 include the DART+ Programme, which is a series of projects that will create a full metropolitan area DART network for Dublin with all of the lines linked and connected. An Bord Pleanála have approved the Railway Order application to extend the electrified DART network from Hazelhatch and Celbridge to Heuston Station and the South city via the Phoenix Park Tunnel.

BusConnects is an investment programme to fundamentally transform the bus systems in our major cities, so that journeys for passengers by bus will be fast, reliable, punctual, convenient and affordable.

The National Transport Authority is in the process of developing cycling plans for each county under the CycleConnects plan.

Further details of projects and programmes being delivered under NSO 4 can be found in the latest capital investment tracker, which I will be publishing in Q2 2025. This will provide a composite update on the progress of all major investments with an estimated cost of greater than €20 million. Accompanying the tracker, the myProjectIreland interactive map details projects across the country and provides details on specific projects by county and contains smaller investments such as schools and social housing projects. Search facilities also allow citizens to view projects in their regional area, by city, by county or by eircode.

The Project Ireland 2040 capital investment tracker and myProjectIreland interactive map are all available on gov.ie/2040.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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113. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he satisfied with the level of the progress made to date under national strategic outcome No. 9 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16192/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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167. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that the level of capital funding allocated to national strategic outcome No. 9 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030 is adequate given the recent comments by the chair of Uisce Éireann that the water system is in a desperate state (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16191/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 167 together.

As Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects or sectoral policy strategies, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. Each Minister is responsible for deciding on the priority programmes and projects that will be delivered under their remit within the NDP and for setting out the timelines for delivery.

The Government committed €165 billion towards capital investment through the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-30 published in 2021. This expenditure was considered and agreed in order to support those sectors that would be key in delivering the ten National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) identified in the National Planning Framework (NPF). An additional €2.25 billion of windfall corporate tax receipts has also been allocated from 2024 to 2026, to provide funding for critical infrastructure projects that are at an advanced stage, as well as to the existing Climate Action Fund.

In Budget 2025, almost €15 billion was made available from the Exchequer for investment in public capital projects along with €3 billion of funds from the sale of the State’s shareholding in AIB. This level of expenditure is pivotal in consolidating the progress already made and in supporting balanced regional development to address key infrastructural bottlenecks more rapidly, and lead to further improvements in living standards and competitiveness.

The NDP contains expenditure commitments for a range of strategic investment priorities which will contribute towards the achievement of the National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs), including NSO 9 which relates to the Sustainable Management of Water, Waste and other Environmental Resources. This NSO highlights the importance of sustainable water resources to the implementation of the National Planning Framework in order to underpin our environmental and economic well-being into the future. Investment in the water and wastewater network will support environmental and economic wellbeing, and deal with population growth and the effects of a changing climate.

The relevant sectoral strategies under this NSO are the Water Services Policy Statement 2018-2025, Uisce Éireann's National Water Resources Plan and the Government’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. These strategies play a critical role in identifying the goals and priorities for this area and are therefore critical in informing the investment projects set out in the NDP.

In terms of water management, a range of investments are planned and underway under the NDP. Under NSO 9, 2024 saw Uisce Éireann deliver the highest level of investment in water and wastewater services in its history, with €1.36 billion invested to fund critical infrastructure projects. Important achievements under NSO 9 in recent years include:

• The Old Connaught/ Woodbrook Water Scheme
• The Kilkenny Regional Water Supply Scheme;
• The Saggart Reservoir
• The Roscommon Sewerage Scheme
• The Mallow Wastewater Treatment Scheme
• The Arklow Sewerage Wastewater Treatment Plant
• The Athlone Sewerage Scheme;
• The Millford, Ramelton and Rathmullen Wastewater Treatment Plant and
• The Regional Biosolids storage facility