Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2018
519. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the input he made to the national planning framework; the additional capital investment he has secured in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8367/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast Friday, 16 February, the Government published Project Ireland 2040 which incorporates the new National Planning Framework and the 10-year National Development Plan (NDP). The NDP will underpin the Planning Framework with a programme of capital investment to 2027.
My Department provided inputs to the National Planning Framework though its participation on a Cross Departmental Steering Group which was led by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and through additional bilateral engagement with that Department.
The general focus of the inputs included:
- the importance of rural Ireland in the development of our national economy;
- the central importance of our towns and villages in supporting sustainable economic and population growth nationally, and the role key settlements play in driving the development of each region;
- maximising the potential of rural Ireland through the diversification of enterprise sectors; and
- the contribution which the Atlantic Economic Corridor can make in supporting regional development.
The final NPF reflects the inputs made by my Department.
The National Development Plan includes a commitment to the establishment of a new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund which will provide capital investment of €1 billion over the next ten years to support the sustainable growth of towns, villages and rural areas. This Fund will be overseen by my Department and is additional to the current baseline funding in my Department’s Estimate.
In addition to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, capital investment across many other Departments and sectors will also contribute to rural and regional development, including in areas such as broadband, regional and local roads, tourism and agriculture.
