Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2021
79. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the budgetary analysis being carried out to plan for long Covid-19 impacts in his Department and each State agency under the remit of his Department in tabular form. [4485/21]
View answerMy Department has experienced some impacts from COVID-19, but these are primarily short term and are not expected to have long term impacts on the sectoral areas or the investment plans of the State-Owned Enterprises for which we are responsible. Where such impacts arose in 2020 and had financial impacts they were managed through the reallocation of resources within the Department's overall 2020 Vote allocations.
Long-term budgetary planning for my Department is being undertaken in the context of the review of the National Development Plan (NDP), which is being managed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The purpose of the review to assess the adjustments to the National Development Plan needed to deliver the Programme for Government policy priorities in the context of the economic, social and environmental challenges faced by the country, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. My Department is actively engaged in the process and is focused on ensuring that the level of investment needed to support the step change in ambition as set out in the Programme for Government is provided for. The Programme for Government sets out how we will respond and manage the challenge of decarbonising our economy and creating a sustainable future for all. The review of the NDP provides the opportunity to realise these commitments and to send a clear signal that Ireland is stepping up and taking on this challenge. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of good, reliable broadband to ensure that people across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities. This is reflected in the commitments in the Programme for Government where deliver of the National Broadband Plan will be a key enabler to many of the policies envisaged particularly around increased levels of remote working. The Government has also committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan and work to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of plan is continuing between my Department and NBI. The post-COVID economy will be more resilient if the recovery is sustainable, renewable and digital based. The information requested in relation to the State agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. The Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisations.
