Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
59. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide a detailed and specific update on the constraints imposed on implementing the NDP due to grid capacity issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51479/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation, my Department is responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across sectors under the National Development Plan. The revised National Development Plan, published in July 2025 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.
As part of the NDP, in addition to the Exchequer allocations, €10 billion in equity funding and fund releases is being provided for the period to 2030 to support the delivery of large projects in the water, energy and transport sectors. Specifically relating to energy investment, €3.5 billion in equity funding is being provided to ESB and EirGrid to support infrastructure delivery across the 2026 to 2030 funding period, underpinned by the Price Review 6 agreement between these bodies and their economic regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). This direct Government input into the funding plan for ESB and EirGrid is to fund enhanced energy grid capacity to support the Government’s housing, social infrastructure and competitiveness objectives under the NDP.
The National Development Plan combines with the National Planning Framework to form Project Ireland 2040, the overarching planning and investment framework for the social, economic and cultural development of Ireland. It is the National Planning Framework, revised in April 2025, that acts as the overall spatial planning and development strategy for Ireland, outlining population projections to underpin the basis for individual project cases and Government’s overall strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of our country out to the year 2040.
Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks is a key responsibility of every Department, Accounting Officer and Minister.
Following on from the setting of Departmental medium term capital expenditure ceilings in the revised NDP, sectoral plans were published by Departments at the end of 2025 which included planned investments and projects across the country. The sectoral plan for the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) included a detailed chapter on the investment plans for the energy sector to meet the objectives of the wider NDP, including a range of projects and critical infrastructure works. Delivery of the specific plans within the energy sector will ensure there are no constraints imposed on wider NDP delivery.
For specific updates on the progress of projects within the energy sector, the Deputy may wish to correspond with EirGrid and their parent Department, DCEE.
