Edward Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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196. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will reform his Department’s capital expenditure programme by giving longer-term financial commitments, for example, ten to 15 years, to all arms of the State responsible for delivering infrastructure, such as Irish Rail, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Uisce Éireann, and so on, as this will allow them to plan for the long term and build longer-term relationships with suppliers. [36872/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The multi-annual capital investment framework introduced in 2004 offers Government Departments greater certainty for planning and allocating resources to meet their strategic priorities.

Expenditure ceilings are set for each area over the medium term to ensure public spending remains within sustainable limits and enables Departments and their agencies to plan and manage their capital investment programmes more efficiently and effectively.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently undertaking a review of the National Development Plan (NDP).

The review will update capital expenditure ceilings for the next decade, out to 2035. The review will encompass all public capital investment to 2035 and allocate the funds arising from the Apple Escrow account, the proceeds of bank share sales as well as funding from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.

In total, an almost €20 billion increase from current NDP funding levels will be made available in the upcoming NDP. In allocating funding, Government will be required to make decisions on strategic project selection and prioritisation, to align with national priorities and make the maximum use of State resources.

The purpose of the review is to assess all areas of public capital investment and to refresh the existing investment strategy and multi-annual envelopes to ensure that they are in line with emerging Government priorities and are focused on the areas that can best support continued, sustainable and equitable growth.