Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

52. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if sustainable management of water and other environmental resources will be a key priority of the new National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39788/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department has prioritised an early review of the National Development Plan, which will be published in July. The aim of the NDP Review is to improve our infrastructure, particularly, water, energy and transport. Prioritisation of these sectors is necessary to enable the delivery of hundreds of thousands of additional homes and to boost our competitiveness.

The Review document to be published in July will feature annual capital allocations to Departments over the five years to 2030 and overall capital expenditure ceilings for the ten years to 2035. This will be followed by sectoral publications later this year detailing the particular programmes that will be funded from the NDP. While particular allocations are yet to be agreed, investment in water infrastructure is a key priority for the Review.

As part of the process, Departments have also been asked to consider whether their planned programmes meet the criteria for designated environmental projects to receive funding from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. €3.15bn in funding is available from the Fund over 2026 to 2030 and is part of the total NDP funding available. In addition, a climate assessment is also being carried out by my Department of projects receiving funding as part of the NDP and this assessment will be published alongside the Review document in July.

Regarding sustainable management of water services specifically, I would like to inform the Deputy that since 1 January 2014, Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. If Deputies have any queries on specific issues in relation to water services, Uisce Éireann has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 0818 578 578.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

54. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the National Development Plan 2026-2035 will be published; if it will include a section on childcare infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40005/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Programme for Government has prioritised an early review of the National Development Plan (NDP), to be published this July. The aim of the Review is to improve our infrastructure, particularly water, energy, transport and housing. Improvements to this supporting economic infrastructure are necessary to enable the delivery of hundreds of thousands of additional homes and to boost our competitiveness.

Since April and continuing to this month, a process of bilateral engagement has taken place between my Department and individual spending Departments to assess their investment plans and programmes. This has focused on funding levels taking into account the cost of proposals in the context of the fiscal parameters and competing priorities, capacity to deliver proposals within the period of the Review, and the alignment of proposals with the Review objectives.

The Review document that will be published this month will set out five year capital allocations to departments over the period 2026 to 2030 and overall capital ceilings to 2035. This will be followed later in the year by sectoral publications outlining the particular programmes being funded from the NDP, including early years capital.

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

55. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an overview of the progress made to date under National Strategic Outcome 7 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39806/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, 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.

NSO 7 deals with the delivery of Enhanced Amenity and Heritage.

Key priorities under NSO 7 include:

• Development of a national Velodrome and Badminton Centre.
• Further Investment in our National Archive which will encompass the provision of a secure environmentally controlled Archival Repository. The project will convert the existing single-story warehouse to a two-storey Archival Repository with increased storage capacity.
• Support for tourism through the development and promotion of regional experience brands such as the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.
• The Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland 2025-2035 was launched by Minister James Browne in May 2025. This is Ireland’s first national strategy for UNESCO World Heritage and sets out the Government’s ambitions to increase the number of World Heritage Properties in Ireland and to manage World Heritage sites sustainably.