Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
99. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for an overview of the progress made to date under National Strategic Outcome 8 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19790/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level. The responsibility for the management and delivery of individual investment projects or sectoral policy strategies, within the allocations agreed under the National Development Plan (NDP), rests with the individual sponsoring Department in each case. Each Minister is responsible for deciding on the priority programmes and projects that will be delivered under their remit within the NDP and for setting out the timelines for delivery.
NSO 8 – Transition to a Climate-Neutral and Climate-Resilient Society requires a radical restructuring of our society and economy to reduce fossil fuel use and move rapidly to a climate-neutral economic model by 2050. Investment in NSO 8 will not only contribute to the objective of a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 but also lay the pathway to achieve the national climate objective of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Climate Action Plan 2024, which was published in December 2023, sets out the actions, measures, policies and plans to meet the emission reduction targets required by our carbon budgets and sectoral emission ceilings. The plan contains actions Ireland must implement to meet our emissions reduction targets and to achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050.
In recognition of the need for additional investment to assist Ireland deal with the transition to climate neutrality, and deal with nature, water and biodiversity degradation, the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024 was published in April. The fund will support designated environmental projects specifically related to the achievement of climate and nature goals.
Further details of projects and programmes being delivered under NSO 8 can be found in the latest capital investment tracker, which I published yesterday and provides a composite update on the progress of all major investments with an estimated cost of greater than €20 million. Accompanying the tracker, the myProjectIreland interactive map details projects across the country and provides details on specific projects by county, and contains smaller investments such as schools and social housing projects. Search facilities also allow citizens to view projects in their regional area, by city, by county or by eircode.
The Project Ireland 2040 capital investment tracker and myProjectIreland interactive map are available on gov.ie/2040.
