Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
63. 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 (NSO) 3 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29335/24]
View answerAs 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.
The NDP contains expenditure commitments for National Strategic Outcome (NSO) 3 which relates to strengthening rural economies and communities. The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), launched in 2018, is providing the investment needed to support rural renewal, strengthen and build resilience in rural towns, villages and communities and deliver on the objectives of Project Ireland 2040. The RRDF is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) and is complemented by a range of additional programmes and schemes delivered under the Department’s Rural Regeneration Programme as part of Project Ireland 2040, which helps maintain and develop the growth and vitality of rural areas and supports communities and organisations to meet their needs. The four schemes funded through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund are the RRDF Category 1 and 2, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.
The RRDF Category 1 and Category 2 funding is targeted towards revitalising rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. This is being achieved through addressing dereliction, ensuring the re-use of heritage and other buildings and providing essential facilities and infrastructure, including remote working and digital hubs.
Under the RRDF, funding of €577 million has been approved for 245 projects worth €768 million. On 13 May, my colleague, Minister Humphreys TD announced the latest round of RRDF funding of €164 million for 30 landmark regeneration projects across the country.
Efforts to bring broadband to all parts of rural Ireland, regardless of remoteness, are part of the commitment in the NDP under NSO 3. By extending high-speed broadband to rural areas, it will ensure digital inclusion and economic opportunities to all of our citizens. I welcome the positive progress being made under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and I note that, as of 21 June 2024, over half a million premises have been surveyed with 279,200 premises now available to order or pre-order a high-speed broadband connection from National Broadband Ireland. The NBP programme is active in every county and is currently ahead of schedule.
Also under NSO 3, there has been significant investment in the Regional and Local Road Grant Programme, with expenditure of €658 million being allocated this year to maintain and strengthen the overall quality of 4,800 kilometres of our regional and local road network.
Further details of projects and programmes being delivered under NSO 3 can be found in the latest capital investment tracker, which I published on 1 May 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 all available on gov.ie/2040.
