Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
78. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the measures being taken to ensure that Louth receives equitable infrastructure investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10560/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the budgetary process each year, my Department sets overall expenditure ceilings for each Ministerial Vote Group. These are laid out at Vote level in the Budget Day Expenditure Report published in October with further detail provided in the Revised Estimates for Public Services published in December.
Following the allocation of each Ministerial Expenditure Ceiling, it is a matter for each Minister to assign funding as appropriate at programme and subhead level for their Departments and the agencies under their remit, accounting for the demands for services in different areas and regions and having regard to demographics and other relevant factors. Within this process, both current and capital expenditure are allocated on a Departmental basis and not a geographic basis.
More broadly, the achievement of balanced regional development is a key priority of this Government and is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040, which includes the National Planning Framework (NPF), which sets out the overarching spatial strategy for the next twenty years, along with the National Development Plan.
Since Project Ireland 2040 was first launched in 2018, the Government has overseen the delivery of many impactful NDP projects across the country, including Louth which includes the construction of a ward block and new theatre department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Residential Care Centres at St Mary’s Hospital Drogheda and St Joseph’s Hospital in Ardee and the upgrade of two water sources in Dundalk and Drogheda. New social housing units were completed at Mount Avenue, Racecourse Meadows, The Kitchen Garden Desmesne and Boice Court Dundalk and Marsh Road Drogheda. New school building projects were completed at Bush Post Primary School Dundalk and Scoil Ui Mhuire Dunleer.
The NDP Review 2025 was published on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, in line with the Programme for Government commitment. The Plan committed €275.4billion in public capital investment to 2035 – the largest and most significant capital injection in our economy in the history of the State.
Arising from this, €19.1 billion in Exchequer capital investment will be provided in 2026. On Budget Day Ministers set out the capital projects and programmes that they will prioritise within their allocation in 2026.
In recent weeks, individual Ministers have developed sectoral level plans, for priority investment programmes and projects within their additional capital allocations for delivery across the country. Considering sectoral needs and Ministerial decisions, these plans reflect Government priorities, including the National Planning Framework commitment to balanced regional development.
The plans published to date include planned investment and projects across the country, including a range of projects in Louth which include:
• Uisce Eireann upgrades of water treatment plant at Dunbin Water Network in Dundalk and of the wastewater treatment plants at Cocklehill and Blackrock Co Louth.
• Various new school building and upgrading of school facilities throughout the county
• Further investment in third level education facilities at Dundalk Institute of Technology and Drogheda Institute of Further Education and
• New transport infrastructure is also in process with the Dart+ Coastal North Route
These sectoral plans are available on each Departmental website and will provide the Deputy with further detail on a sectoral basis.
Progress in achieving balanced regional development and detailing the delivery of the NDP is monitored through regular updates of the Project Ireland 2040 capital investment tracker and MyProjectIreland interactive map viewer. The capital investment tracker 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, healthcare facilities and social housing projects. Search facilities allow users to view projects in their regional area, by city, by county or by eircode.
In addition, my Department also publishes the Project Ireland 2040 Annual Report and Regional Reports highlighting achievements and giving a detailed overview of the public investments that have been made throughout the country. These will provide the Deputy with even further detail on delivery under the NPD to date. These and other Project Ireland 2040 related documents can be found at www.gov.ie/2040
