Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
35. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on the work of the infrastructure division of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27676/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government set out the clear prioritisation for the NDP Review to ensure that investment can be maximised in the coming five years for strategic infrastructure.
This includes the key energy, water and transport networks on which all future development relies. This is critical to allow Government to meet the additional 300,000 homes target and to support competitiveness. I established a new Infrastructure Division last year to lead on the National Development Plan (NDP) review and the Accelerating Infrastructure work, targeted at meeting the objectives above.
In 2025, this Division supported the Government and I to reach agreement on the NDP Review in July and in publishing the Accelerating Infrastructure Actions Report and Action Plan last December. Ensuring the Action Plan actions get delivered is the key work priority for 2026, in addition to ensuring critical NDP projects get progressed.
The Action Plan sets out 30 targeted actions grouped under four pillars, each addressing a key area of reform, with legal reform noted as a core element for accelerating critical infrastructure projects across the country. This work will, among other measures, include increasing exemption thresholds for critical infrastructure, reform processes with agencies and regulators, advocating for a new approach to legislation at EU level and creating a duty for state bodies to co-operate in making land available and accessible for critical infrastructure.
The delivery of these 30 actions under the four pillars is on track at the end of Q1 2026. A Senior Officials Group supports the work on delivery of the Plan. In addition, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure is updated regularly on progress of Plan delivery.
The Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce (AIT) meet regularly to support the work on the Plan.
In the wake of the 2025 Plan, Departments published sectoral investment plans setting out the capital projects to be prioritised from 2026 to 2030. These plans provide visibility of the delivery pipeline, giving construction firms the certainty they need to invest in hiring, training, and scaling their operations. This multi-year approach is designed to support industry planning and ensure that regional capacity can grow in line with demand.
The plans include planned investment and projects across the country, including a range of projects and critical infrastructure works. 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.
