Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on Ireland’s third payment request under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60197/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) finances reforms and investments in EU Member States to combat the economic and social effects of COVID.

To benefit from support under the Facility, EU Governments submitted national recovery and resilience plans, outlining the reforms and investments they will implement with clear milestones and targets.

Ireland’s RRF allocation is €1.15 billion, including REPowerEU. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) covers 10 reforms and 19 investments with 117 associated milestones and targets. The overall objective of Ireland’s NRRP is to contribute to a sustainable, equitable, green and digital recovery effort, in a manner that complements and supports the government’s broader efforts.

Payment is contingent on achievement of the milestones and targets in each payment instalment. RRF projects are pre-funded through the Estimates processes and the National Development Plan, with the RRF allocated funding recouped from the EU after the milestones and targets have been achieved.

The RRF allocation will be paid to Ireland in five instalments. The drawdown of payments under this performance-based Facility is contingent on the timely delivery of the milestones and targets by each Accountable Department and on providing the supporting evidence to this effect. Ireland has already received its first and second payments of €324 million and €115 million respectively under the Facility.

The third payment request, consisting of 14 milestones and targets with a value of €240m, was formally submitted to the Commission in August, positively assessed by the Commission in September, and following a favourable opinion by Council in October is expected to be paid into the Exchequer in November.

This third payment request means that Ireland has successfully completed 60% of the milestones and targets outlined in its national plan and has received 60% of its allocated funding from the RRF.

The RRF deadline for completion of measures is 31 August 2026, with the final payment request to be submitted to the Commission by 30 September 2026. My Department is currently reviewing with the Commission and Departments the milestones and targets in the remaining fourth and fifth payment requests. The aim is to make any necessary amendments to ensure delivery within the RRF timelines and to drawdown the remaining allocated funding.