Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
43. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress made to date under National Strategic Outcome (NSO) 8 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; the additional funding allocated under this NSO following the review of the NDP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70491/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at Departmental level.
In the 2021 NDP review, the Government originally committed €165 billion in capital investment for the period 2021-30, and subsequently agreed to additional funding of €2.25 billion in March 2024 for 2024-2026.
The revised National Development Plan, published in July, set out €275.4 billion in public capital investment to 2035 – the largest and most significant capital injection in our economy in the history of the State. Following the agreement of the revised NDP in July 2025, gross capital expenditure ceilings for all sectors have now been set out to 2030.
National Strategic Outcome (NSO) 8 refers to climate action and a transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society. Under the 2025 NDP review, the Government allocated €5.64 billion to the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment for the 2026-2030 period with an additional €3.5 billion in equity funding provided to ESB and Eirgrid over the period to fund enhanced energy grid capacity.
A range of projects and projects have already been delivered under NSO 8 since the 2021 NDP review, including for example:
• Over 400 megawatts of onshore wind and over 1,500 megawatts of solar power approved under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme in 2022;
• Over 90,000 home energy upgrades between 2021 and 2023;
• Rehabilitation of over 5,000 hectares of Bord na Móna peatlands in 2022; and
• Completion of over 100 flood relief schemes between 2021 and 2023.
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Sectoral Investment plan was published on 23 November and is available to download from gov.ie. The plan sets out in detail the commitments to delivery for the sector, with a key priority being allocation of a share of annual carbon tax proceeds for investment in energy efficiency programmes, enabling expansion of the National Retrofit Plan and increasing delivery of home energy upgrades through the Warmer Homes Scheme.
A full list of projects and programmes for each of the ten National Strategic Outcomes can be found in the regular publications by my Department on the gov.ie site;
• The capital investment tracker provides a composite update on the progress of all major investments with an estimated cost of greater than €20 million.
• 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 health facilities.
• And, the Project Ireland 2040 Annual and Regional Reports highlight achievements and give a detailed overview of the public investments that have been made throughout the country, including detail from across Government on the national strategic objectives. The forthcoming Project Ireland 2024 Annual and Regional Reports will provide full and up to date detail on delivery of the National Strategic Outcomes.
