Written Answers Nos. 341-360
341. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when a flood defence scheme (details supplied) will advance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14131/24]
View answerThe Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme - Ireland’s largest study of flood risk, was completed by the Office of Public Works in 2018. This studied the flood risk for two-thirds of the population against their risk of flooding from rivers and the sea. An output of the CFRAM Programme, the Government’s Flood Risk Management Plans provide the evidence for a proactive approach for designing and constructing flood relief schemes for the most at-risk communities. The delivery of these Plans is supported by €1.3 billion through the National Development Plan to 2030. To date, 55 schemes have been completed, which are providing protection to over 13,000 properties and an economic benefit to the State in damages and losses avoided estimated to be in the region of €2 billion.
It is not possible to progress all 150 flood relief schemes identified by the Flood Risk Management Plans simultaneously. This is due to the limited availability of the professional and specialised engineering skills required to design and construct flood relief schemes. This prioritised approach to delivering flood relief schemes means that work is complete, or underway to protect some 80% of all at-risk properties nationally.
The proposed Flood Relief Scheme for Inchigeela is not in the first phase of projects being progressed as part of the national programme. It is a Tranche II scheme and a viable scheme will provide protection to 28 properties when completed. Once consultants are appointed to progress the scheme, consultation with statutory and non-statutory bodies, as well as the general public will take place at the appropriate stages to ensure that all parties have the opportunity to input into the development of the scheme.
The OPW is working closely with Local Authorities, and at all times strives to expedite and progress capital flood relief works with the minimum of delay. It is open to Cork County Council to make an application under the OPW’s Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, to undertake minor flood mitigation works to address localised fluvial flooding in advance of the proposed Flood Relief Scheme for this area.
The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works to address localised fluvial flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. The works may be up to a value of €750,000 with 90% funded by the OPW and are carried out under Local Authority powers and ongoing maintenance of the completed works is the responsibility of the Council. The OPW welcome applications under this scheme and is always willing to engage with Local Authorities in this regard.
342. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if his Department uses community radio for advertising and public awareness campaigns; if not, the reason, given the vital role community radio often plays in the dissemination of information to local communities; if his Department will consider using community radio for public awareness campaigns in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14171/24]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform has conducted one public awareness campaign in the last year. The campaign ran in April/May 2023 and flagged upcoming changes to the national tendering platform eTenders. The goal of that campaign was to ensure that no business missed out on public procurement opportunities due to changes to the eTenders platform. As part of this, a national radio advertising campaign was rolled out, which included the community radio station Raidió na Life.
I have also appeared on community radio stations on a number of occasions in my remit as Minister for Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform.
Going forward, my Department will continue to consider the use of community radio where applicable in advertising and public awareness campaigns, and I remain open to appearing on community radio.
343. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if the OPW will fund the provision of providing wheelchair accessible for members of the public to visit the public entrance of Mountjoy Garda station, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14189/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works (OPW) can confirm that it will fund the provision of wheelchair access for members of the public to visit the public entrance of Mountjoy Garda station, Dublin.
A feasibility study to investigate options to provide access to Mountjoy Station has been completed. Following consultation with An Garda Síochána, it has been agreed that accessibility works will be combined with an upgrade to the public office and public interview room. The works will be funded in full by the OPW.
It is envisaged that the Design, Part 9 Planning and Procurement stages of the project will take place in 2024 with a view to commence on site and complete the project in 2025.
The Commencement date for the project is subject to the final sign off of the design by An Garda Síochána, Part 9 approval, receipt of a Disabled Access Certificate and a successful tendering process.
The OPW can also confirm that, in line with Section 25 of the Disability Act, it is ensuring that all public buildings under its control are, in so far as practicable, made accessible to people with disabilities.
344. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to detail the works that are being carried out on the dome of the Four Courts at present; why these works are necessary considering that extensive works were carried out on the dome in the very recent past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14215/24]
View answerThe Office of Public Works is currently undertaking the final phase of works to conserve the dome structure of the Four Courts, Inns Quay, Dublin 7, following on from earlier phases of repair works that included detailed surveying and examinations of the dome structure.
The Investigative and Entablature Repair Works to the Four Courts Dome were substantially completed by the end of July 2021. The primary purpose of that phase of works was to address the most immediate and urgent repair requirements and to facilitate the assessment of the stone capitals and perimeter steel angle to circumference immediately over the capitals.
The current phase of works focuses primarily on the portland stone capitals that ring the drum of the Four Courts and support the dome structure. The stone capitals are in poor condition having been damaged by past events, including a major fire at the Four Courts during the civil war in 1922. The capitals will be either repaired or replaced depending upon their structural condition. In addition, the structural steel angle above the capitals to the circumference of the dome will be replaced.
It is anticipated that the works will be completed by end of 2025.
345. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if funding will be allocated to help with coastal erosion in a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14312/24]
View answerLocal coastal erosion issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address. Where necessary, Local Authorities may put forward proposals to relevant central Government Departments, including the Office of Public Works (OPW), for funding of appropriate measures depending on the infrastructure or assets under threat.
In 2018 the OPW approved funding of €150,000 to Kerry County Council under the OPW Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to carry out a coastal erosion and flood risk management study for Tralee Bay in 2018. The study area included the location detailed by the Deputy.
Kerry County Council submitted a draft report of the study to the OPW for comment in May 2023. The OPW subsequently reverted to Kerry County Council with comments on the report in June 2023. On foot of the OPW comments additional information was submitted by Kerry County Council in March 2024. This additional information is currently under review by the OPW.
It is open to Kerry County Council to submit a further application for funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection scheme for the area concerned if necessary. If such an application is received, the OPW will assess the application having regard to the specific economic, social and environmental criteria of the scheme, including a cost benefit ratio and the availability of funding for flood risk management.
346. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the expected timeline for the publication of the revised National Development Plan allocations out to 2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14350/24]
View answerLast Wednesday, March 27, I agreed revised capital allocations totalling €2.25 billion out to 2026. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-30 published in October 2021 set out €165 billion of funding to support capital projects across the country. As set out in the Summer Economic Statement (SES) 2023, an additional €2.25 billion was made available to be allocated in the 2024 to 2026 period. This funding will facilitate the progression of important projects and enable more rapid development of key Programme for Government commitments, such the delivery of actions to fulfil our climate action plan commitments, the provision of more housing and enhanced education facilities.
Following the conclusion of a series of bilateral meetings which took place from January to March with my Ministerial colleagues, the distribution of the additional €2.25 billion across Departments has now been agreed. This builds on the existing funding already available under the NDP out to 2026 and it will mean more schools, housing, transport and healthcare projects can be progressed and delivered for our people
The additional allocations of capital funding to 2026 will support key projects and programmes under the NDP such as:
• Further delivery of immediate Public Transport projects such as Dart+, BusConnects and Cork Commuter Rail;
• Additional investment in the Social and Affordable Housing programmes;
• Further delivery of Student Accommodation through Universities;
• Additional Acute Hospital Beds (in excess of 1,500 beds already funded);
• Enhanced biomethane investment (in addition to ReCoverEU funding);
• Regional labs investment and additional veterinary provision;
• Upgrading of embassies abroad;
• Funding the Level of Ambition 2 programme in the Defence Forces;
• Public and Private Sector Retrofitting;
• Enhanced Prison Service Provision and investment in Garda Capital; and
• Further investment in the Local Improvement Scheme and Community Recognition Fund.
I believe that the allocations announced last week strike a fair balance between the many competing demands that were made to me. The NDP is ambitious, with record levels of investment and the additional capital funding now available to Departments will contribute in a significant way to the delivery of sustained growth and prosperity for our country.
Overall capital allocations out to 2030 were published in the NDP 2021-30. The setting of sectoral allocations for each Department beyond 2026 is not under consideration at this time.
347. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to the review of the statutory framework for ethics in public office, the status of the development of the scheme for legislative reform in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14353/24]
View answerAs the Deputy mentions in her question, my Department undertook a review of the statutory framework for Ethics in public life, in furtherance of our commitment in the 2020 Programme for Government to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office Legislation”. This Review was completed in December 2022 and its Report was submitted to Government. The Government agreed to the preparation of draft legislation to reform the regime informed by the outcome of the review.
The Report’s recommendations focus broadly on five key themes:
• the legislative framework for Ethics should be underpinned by a set of overarching integrity principles;
• there should be new specific statutory prohibitions, including on the use of insider information;
• disclosure requirements should be strengthened to improve transparency and the issue of whether the regime should encompass more office holders should be examined;
• a strengthening of SIPO; and
• any post-term employment restrictions contemplated for elected officials/public servants should seek to address matters not already covered by lobbying regulation and should align closely with that legislation.
To further progress the Programme for Government commitment, my Department is preparing a draft scheme for legislative reform in consultation with relevant Ministers and informed by the outcome of the Review. I am happy to inform the Deputy that drafting of Heads of Bill is significantly advanced. I expect to be in a position to bring proposals to Government in the coming months, with the ultimate goal of creating a fit-for-purpose, easy to understand and user-friendly ethical framework that contributes to the quality and efficacy of our public administration.
348. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the status of the review of the freedom of information regime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14354/24]
View answerThe review of the FOI regime is nearing completion. The review process has been an open and collaborative one, taking in the views of a wide range of stakeholders. It commenced with a scoping process which sought the views of stakeholders across all sectors in setting the direction of the review. Approximately 1,200 responses were received at this stage of the process from individuals, organisations, and public bodies. In addition, a customer satisfaction survey was undertaken, which sought the views of both requesters and the staff of public bodies involved in processing requests. 1,100 further responses were received in this project. Based on key themes identified in the previous stages of information gathering, a full public consultation was undertaken, with 60 further responses received. In order to further tease out particular issues, a series of focus group sessions and interviews were carried out with key stakeholder groups.This process of engagement was accompanied by a review of international approaches to FOI, seeking to identify best practices and innovations globally. A progress update was issued to stakeholders at the end of 2022, which summarised key findings in the information gathering process to date, and set out in broad terms the matters under consideration. There are three main strands. Firstly, a more coherent approach to information governance and access. Secondly, supplementing formal FOI requests with less bureaucratic and more direct ways of achieving transparency, including proactive publication of information and thirdly, various issues and proposals for improving the FOI request process.The process of preparing the final review report commenced in mid-2023. This has been undertaken in close collaboration with the Office of the Information Commissioner, but also other policy-holders in related areas, such as the National Archives. The report is now nearing completion. It is intended that the recommendations arising from the review will inform next steps.My Department aims to bring the FOI final review report to Government for approval to publish in the coming months.
349. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 307 of 20 March 2024, if the investment projects and programmes tracker is not regularly updated; when the tracker will next be updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14368/24]
View answerThe Government is committed to continue to detail the delivery of the National Development Plan at regular intervals into the future to allow for full transparency on the implementation of Project Ireland 2040. This is achieved through regular updates of the capital investment tracker and myProjectIreland interactive map as well as the publication of annual reports and regional reports highlighting Project Ireland 2040 achievements and giving a detailed overview of the public investments which have been made throughout the country.
As outlined in my reply to question No. 307 of 20 March 2024, officials in my Department are currently liaising with their counterparts in other Departments to update the data contained in the Tracker and Interactive Map which were last published in February 2023. The Tracker includes comprehensive details on almost 320 large scale projects and 140 individual programmes, while the interactive map includes an exhaustive overview of 1,240 individual projects. The revision of these publications involves a significant amount of engagement with Departments and agencies and it is expected that the updated capital tracker and myProjectIreland map will be published in April.
350. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 20 March 2024, if the anticipated total cost to the Exchequer listed include projections of increases due to indexation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14371/24]
View answerDuring the lifecycle of a PPP contract (typically 25 years after construction), a portion of the unitary payment is adjusted annually by an inflation factor to reflect changes in a general inflation index specified in the contract (the Consumer Price Index or the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices). This indexable portion represents costs incurred by the PPP company over the operational period (e.g. facilities management, maintenance, and lifecycle costs); it excludes construction and finance costs. As it is not possible to predict in advance the projected cost to the Exchequer of unitary payments made for Public Private Partnership projects are calculated on an assumed future annual indexation of between 2 - 2.5% over the period of the project. Any increases or decreases to the indexation will depend on the CPI published by the Central Statistics Office on an annual basis.
351. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform whether the detention facilities in the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum will be used for any other detention purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14546/24]
View answerThe former Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum is in the process of being transferred to the Land Development Agency who will develop the site as a strategic housing scheme.
In the interim, part of the property has been licensed to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth on a temporary basis for tented accommodation for IPAS applicants.
There are no plans for detention facilities at the property.
352. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform how a person can de-register as a lobbyist if they are no longer engaging in lobbying activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14558/24]
View answerOnce a lobbyist engages in lobbying activities with a Designated Public Official he or she is obliged to register this on the Lobbying Register. This is to provide the general public with information on who is lobbying whom about what. This information remains indefinitely on the lobbying register as a permanent record of transparency. If a lobbyist stops lobbying and does not intend to lobby again in the future, he or she can apply to the Standards in Public Office Commission to have his or her registration marked as “ceased lobbying” on the Lobbying Register. The Standards Commission can be contacted for further information on this matter by phone (01-6395722) or email info@lobbying.ie.
353. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the rationale behind denial of access to Castletown Demesne for 17 out of 24 hours extended gate closures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14610/24]
View answer355. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform whether the local emergency services were informed in advance of the changed opening hours to the Castletown Demesne; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14612/24]
View answer356. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if all efforts are being made by the OPW to respond to the community in a way that reflects the particular sensitivity, emotion and psychological value to and within that community of all matters involving and pertaining to Castletown Demesne; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14613/24]
View answer357. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to outline any new decisions or approaches to the summertime opening of and access to the Castletown Demesne; whether any new decisions or arrangements will be notified appropriately, widely and with optimum timing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14614/24]
View answer358. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the speed limit on Lime Avenue on 30 September 2023 on the approach through Castletown housing estate and through the historic famine gates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14623/24]
View answer359. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the date on which the traffic-management protocol regarding Castletown/Lime Avenue released through FOI was implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14624/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 353, 355, 356, 357, 358 and 359 together.
To be able to revert to the normal opening hours, it is imperative that the Office of Public Works grounds staff can return to Castletown House and Estate. The OPW Castletown team have not been able to gain entry to their workplace in the normal manner since October 2023.
Without dedicated OPW grounds staff, daily safety inspections, essential for public safety, cannot be conducted.
This leads to several issues:
• Safety Concerns: Lack of maintenance increases risks like fallen branches, uneven paths, potholes in paths, and unchecked bridges, jeopardising visitor safety.
• Visual Deterioration: Absence of staff has led to a decline in the presentation of the Estate due to absence of any maintenance and upkeep over the last 6 months. Additionally missed seasonal tasks like planting and biodiversity initiatives will lead to the deterioration of the landscape. It took 12 years of dedicated work by the OPW horticultural team to achieve the Annex IV and Pollinator Award designations, but without constant maintenance this biodiversity will be lost.
• Rise in Anti-Social Behaviour: Decreased passive surveillance has resulted in increased incidents of anti-social behaviour, including unauthorised access by scramblers and unleashed dogs, posing risks to both visitors and the environment.
Overall, the absence of OPW personnel compromises the assurance of visitor safety, necessitating reduced opening hours and heightened risk awareness signage.
The grounds of Castletown Estate are a managed parkland which is overseen by a dedicated team of OPW horticultural and landscaping staff. This team looks after all the outdoor works including general tasks such as planting bulbs and mowing the grasslands as well as more specialist tasks. These include preparing habitats for native bees and increasing biodiversity measures across the Estate. As a result of the work of this team, Castletown Estate is one of the finest parklands in the State in terms of presentation and biodiversity.
Arguably more important than all of this, is the fact that the grounds staff in Castletown ensure that the site is properly maintained and therefore safe for the public to enjoy.
Without OPW staff on site, the OPW can no longer guarantee the safety of visitors to the grounds of Castletown. Rather than closing the site entirely, the OPW took the decision to keep the site open with reduced hours which broadly coincide with hours that a skeleton team of staff are on site to safeguard the house and collection. Signage was erected around the site to publicise the reduced hours but also to underline the increased risks visitors could encounter on site. The decision to keep the site open was made to facilitate the community as much as possible.
The OPW recognises the importance of green spaces for the public and would like to highlight the crucial role that the OPW staff have played in providing such a beautiful landscape at Castletown. The importance of Castletown Demesne took on additional significance during the COVID pandemic when the site was so heavily used by the people of North Kildare. It should be noted that during the pandemic OPW operational staff were regarded as essential workers and attended their place of work every day so that the public could enjoy the parklands at Castletown.
All amenity spaces made available to the public need considerable investment in terms of time and resources and the dedication of expert staff to maintain them so they can be enjoyed by visitors now and into the future. This is particularly true in Castletown given its importance as an historic parkland. As much of this work happens out of the sight of the public it often goes unseen but the importance of this work becomes increasingly apparent the longer the inability to carry it out persists.
The emergency services require 24 hour access to the site and therefore hold keys to the Castletown estate so that they can access the estate at any time day or night. I can confirm that shortly after the OPW lost access via the M4 route, the emergency services were invited on site to carry out trial runs to ensure that they are satisfied with the new access routes.
The speed limit on the Castletown housing estate is a matter for the local authority. The OPW has responsibility once traffic enters the Celbridge gate.
The traffic-management standard operating procedures are a constant feature and are revised and updated on a regular basis.
The OPW has recently received a proposal from a community representative group - Save Castletown - which lays out a roadmap for the return of the staff, while also ensuring that Lime Avenue remains primarily pedestrianised for the majority of the day. The OPW welcomes this proposal and we believe that it can form the basis of an agreement that could lead to a solution that works for all parties.
The proposal envisages OPW staff, contractors and deliveries getting vehicular access to the Lime Avenue at pre-determined times of the day thus allowing the Lime Avenue to be primarily pedestrianised for most of each day. The adoption of this proposal would allow staff to return to maintain and secure the site and allow the opening hours to return to normal. The OPW would like to note that this proposal is now with the Working Group for consideration.
354. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if it is the case that staff have not remained at the gate Castletown Demesne to allow people to exit past 16.30, therefore denying them safe exit, with public forced to lift buggies, bikes, scooters, mobility aids, dogs over fences, this having a serious impact on people with mobility issues and additional physical needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14611/24]
View answerAs a member of the Working Group the Deputy will be aware that the OPW Castletown team have not been able to gain entry to their workplace in the normal manner since October 2023. This means that there is currently no staff caring for the grounds and no staff available to carry out the safety measures which are a basic requirement. As a result of a lack of OPW staff on site, the grounds are starting to deteriorate visually. The normal winter tasks such as tree and bulb planting as well as pollinator friendly interventions have not taken place. The lack of OPW personnel has also led to an increase of anti-social behaviour with reports of scramblers accessing the site and a significant increase of dogs being let off leashes.
Without OPW staff on site, the OPW can no longer guarantee the safety of visitors to the grounds of Castletown. Rather than closing the site entirely, the OPW took the decision to keep the site open on the basis of reduced hours which broadly coincide with hours that a skeleton team of staff are on site to safeguard the house and collection. Signage was erected around the site to publicise the reduced hours but also to underline the increased risks visitors could encounter on site. The decision to keep the site open was made to facilitate the community as much as possible.
The revised opening and closing times are prominently displayed on large signs at points of access and have been widely shared on social media. It is imperative that visitors using the parklands respect the hours of operation and vacate the park by the posted times as would the case on any other historic property or public park.
The procedure to lock gates at notified times is standard practice across all OPW sites, as well as the majority of local authority parks. This is important from the perspective of the Occupier’s Liability Act 2023. The OPW has a wider perspective and challenge in the management of not only Castletown, but other heritage properties across the State.
The OPW employs a security company to open and close the gates at the agreed times. They have been instructed to display flexibility and have often been on standby to allow members of the public to vacate the park.
360. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide new capital ceilings for each Department for 2024, 2025 and 2026 accounting for the allocation of the €2.25 billion in windfall capital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14954/24]
View answer361. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when he will publish updated departmental capital ceilings for each Department for the second half of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14955/24]
View answer362. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to provide details of the amount of the €2.25 billion windfall capital that will be used for new projects and the amount that will be earmarked to address construction inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14956/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360, 361 and 362 together.
Last Wednesday, March 27, the Government agreed revised capital allocations totalling €2.25 billion out to 2026. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-30 published in October 2021 set out €165 billion of funding to support capital projects across the country. As set out in the Summer Economic Statement (SES) 2023, an additional €2.25 billion was made available to be allocated in the 2024 to 2026 period. This funding will facilitate the progression of important projects and enable more rapid development of key Programme for Government commitments, such as the delivery of actions to fulfil our climate action plan commitments, the provision of more housing and enhanced education facilities.
Following the conclusion of a more than 30 bilateral meetings which took place from January to March with my Ministerial colleagues, the distribution of the additional €2.25 billion across Departments has now been agreed by Government. This builds on the existing funding already available under the NDP out to 2026 and it will mean more schools, housing, transport and healthcare projects can be progressed and delivered for our people.
The updated capital allocations for 2025 and 2026 are set out below. These allocations have been informed by the ESRI report on the NDP, Departmental submissions and the bilateral meetings held with my Ministerial colleagues, as well as meetings between officials across Government Departments.
The table below shows the final agreed allocations which distributes all the available funding, including the €2 billion additional funding granted to capital for these years in the SES last year.
|
- |
2024* |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Ministerial Vote Groups |
NDP Core Capital (excl. Non-Core, EU funds etc.) |
RevisedNDPCapital |
Revised NDPCapital |
|
€ million |
€ million |
€ million |
|
|
Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
287 |
300 |
305 |
|
Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
74 |
140 |
180 |
|
Defence |
176 |
215 |
220 |
|
Education |
940 |
1,300 |
1,300 |
|
Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
584 |
611 |
625 |
|
Environment, Climate and Communications |
950 |
1,110 |
1,270 |
|
Finance |
28 |
28 |
24 |
|
Foreign Affairs |
25 |
35 |
35 |
|
Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
620 |
670 |
725 |
|
Health |
1,220 |
1,460 |
1,560 |
|
Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
3,866 |
4,196 |
4,336 |
|
Justice |
274 |
310 |
330 |
|
Public Expenditure and Reform |
323 |
357 |
377 |
|
Rural & Community Development |
201 |
210 |
220 |
|
Social Protection |
16 |
17 |
17 |
|
Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
235 |
255 |
295 |
|
Transport |
2,664 |
2,850 |
3,350 |
|
Other Funds: |
|||
|
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) |
115 |
115 |
100 |
|
Shared Island Fund |
150 |
150 |
190 |
* An additional €250 million was made available in 2024, and this funding has formed the basis of agreements with a small number of Departments to meet in-year pressures that are already evident or may become evident as the year progresses.
The above amounts honour and build on the committed uplifts in allocations to Ministerial Vote Groups under the NDP 2021-2030 published in October 2021. The allocations are also aligned with the funding commitments required to deliver the ‘Housing for All’ strategy over the coming years, and with other priority commitments of the Programme for Government including but not limited to: Health, Education, Transport and Climate action.
Overall capital allocations out to 2030 were published in the NDP 2021-30. The setting of sectoral allocations for each Department beyond 2026 is not under consideration at this time.
The additional allocations of capital funding to 2026 will support key projects and programmes under the NDP such as:
• Further delivery of immediate Public Transport projects such as Dart+, BusConnects and Cork Commuter Rail;
• Additional investment in the Social and Affordable Housing programmes;
• Further delivery of Student Accommodation through Universities;
• Additional Acute Hospital Beds (in excess of 1,500 beds already funded);
• Enhanced biomethane investment (in addition to ReCoverEU funding);
• Regional labs investment and additional veterinary provision;
• Upgrading of embassies abroad;
• Funding the Level of Ambition 2 programme in the Defence Forces;
• Public and Private Sector Retrofitting;
• Enhanced Prison Service Provision and investment in Garda Capital; and
• Further investment in the Local Improvement Scheme and Community Recognition Fund.
The proportion of funding allocated to new projects or to address construction inflation in a matter for the individual Minister and Department in each sector. The delivery of projects has been challenged by over recent years by the continued impact of construction inflation on projects. However, it is a matter for individual Departments to prioritise projects for delivery within their overall agreed capital ceilings. In this regards, achieving value for money and reducing cost and schedule overruns will continue to be a vital part of delivering the NDP.
