12 Mar 2021, 15:36
The Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks has today made a submission to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s “Review to Renew”, a review of the National Development Plan (NDP).
The NDP is a broad Government strategy which guides the development of public infrastructure across Ireland. The current NDP was published in 2018, and is now being reviewed by DPER in the context of the current Programme for Government and these unprecedented times- the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. It is also an opportunity to assess the progress of the NDP’s implementation, and whether its priorities are still fit for purpose.
This submission which can be viewed on the committee webpage marks the culmination of a series of meetings on the NDP Review, which concluded on Tuesday when Minister Eamon Ryan appeared before the committee.
Committee Chair, Kieran O’Donnell TD said: “Throughout the months of February and March we took in to consideration the views of a variety of key stakeholders regarding this topic. For us, the priority is connectivity. The Committee believes that the NDP should continue to enable connectivity for the people and businesses of Ireland at all levels- international, national, regional and rural. This is particularly vital now during level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, but also to facilitate and drive economic recovery as restrictions are eased over the coming months.”
The Committee examined the NDP based on its strategic priorities, and outlined key areas including, National Road Network, Airports and Ports, Impact of Covid-19 on Connectivity, Environmentally Sustainable Public Transport, Ongoing Pandemic Restrictions, Cross-Border Sustainable Transport, National Broadband Plan, Project Appraisal Criteria and the Draft National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland(NIFTI).
Chair O’Donnell added: “The Committee expressed concern that the Department of Transport’s updated draft assessment strategy, namely NIFTI(National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland) was already being used by the Department to appraise projects, and had formed the basis of the Department's submission to this review, despite the strategy not yet going for public consultation or being approved by Cabinet.
“In this regard, the Committee welcomes the commitment we received from the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD and his Department that the National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (NIFTI) will now go out to public consultation by the end of March 2021 and will be approved by Government prior to the conclusion and finalisation of the review to renew process of the NDP. We would encourage the public to participate in this important consultation process. The committee intends to engage further with the Minister and the Department here.
“On behalf of the Committee I would like to thank all of the witnesses who came before us and the groups who sent in submissions. We met with a range of key agencies and stakeholders, and I believe that we have gained a broad view of what has been done and what needs to be progressed. Ultimately the Committee believes that increased capital spending is required to maintain, strengthen and develop all modes of transport infrastructure and to progress the implementation of the National Broadband Plan.”
For more information regarding the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks, see the Committee webpage