The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD has today (Tuesday, 3 November) launched Review to Renew - the review of the National Development Plan.
The National Development Plan 2018-2027 (NDP) sets out a 10-year programme of capital investment aimed at upgrading Ireland’s infrastructure, enhancing economic capacity and promoting balanced regional development.
The NDP is a pillar of “Project Ireland 2040”, alongside the National Planning Framework (NPF), which sets the overarching spatial strategy for the next twenty years and was developed by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
The Programme for Government (PfG) has brought increased clarity to the evolving policy context and provided for a mid-term Review of the NDP to be brought forward.
Speaking at the launch, Minister McGrath said:
This review of the NDP provides an opportunity to ensure delivery of more infrastructure to more people including public transport, broadband, housing and a broad range of social, cultural and community services.
Led by the National Investment Office in DPER, the review will also ensure alignment between the NDP and the priorities identified in the Programme for Government including climate action, housing policy, transport policy, implementation of Sláintecare and balanced regional development.
Minster of State for Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Patrick O’Donovan said:
The Review of the National Development is both timely and necessary to ensure delivery of the priorities this Government set out in its Programme for Government. Project Ireland 2040 was conceived to ensure viable and liveable spaces for the extra one million we expect to have in our country by 2040.
Since the launch of Project Ireland 2040 there has been significant progress in delivering a range of both large and small infrastructure projects throughout the country:
• delivering better transport links (completion of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy and the N25 New Ross Bypass),
• facilitating better health facilities (two new acute ward blocks in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and Waterford University Hospital),
• environmental outcomes (e.g. upgraded Waste Water Treatment Plants at Mohill, Athenry, Castleblaney, Enniscorthy, Manorhamilton, Ardee, Grange, Tubbercurry and Ballinafad).
The vast majority of projects have come in on time and on budget. There has also been significant progress made in planning for major projects such as Bus Connects, DART Expansion, Metrolink and the M20 Cork to Limerick.
Minister of State for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth said:
This review provides an opportunity to reassess national investment in the context of urgent Programme for Government priorities, such as: climate action, housing, transport and health. All the evidence shows that the greatest impact on improving project outcomes comes from careful project preparation.The recent update to the Public Spending Code strengthens existing guidance, to better reflect the realities of project delivery, with a particular focus on financial appraisal, cost estimation and risk management. Rigorous application of the updated Code is supporting public bodies in gaining a more developed view of costs, risks and timeframes before committing to a project.
The review also offers an opportunity for stakeholders and members of the public to make submissions via Review to Renew – the public consultation process on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s website.
Commenting further, Minister McGrath said:
I wish to invite all stakeholders and interested parties to visit www.gov.ie/2040 and view these documents and I encourage people to take this valuable opportunity to contribute your views on the future of our country’s infrastructure. All submissions will be reviewed by officials in my Department and I look forward to seeing the views of the people of Ireland reflected in the new National Development Plan.
Taking account of the feedback received in the consultation phase and the outputs from a number of pieces of research and policy papers, the revised NDP will be published by summer 2021. It will set out the overall capital investment envelope for the decade to 2030 and will include five year rolling departmental capital ceilings and priorities. I am hugely excited by this body of work and I look forward to working towards a revised NDP that will be the blueprint for the development of our infrastructure for the next ten years.
Notes for Editor
Project Ireland 2040
Project Ireland 2040 is the government’s long-term overarching strategy to make Ireland a better country for all its people. The plan changes how investment is made in public infrastructure in Ireland, moving away from the approach of the past, which saw public investment spread too thinly and investment decisions that didn’t align with a well-thought-out and defined strategy. Alongside the development of physical infrastructure, Project Ireland 2040 supports business and communities across all of Ireland in realising their potential.
Public consultation
Review to Renew is the public consultation element of the National Development Plan. Stakeholders are asked to respond to a number of questions detailed on www.gov.ie/2040.
The review will not be considering the merit of individual projects or sectoral policy strategies as this is a primarily matter for individual Departments and Agencies. Individual projects are selected based on a detailed process which begins with Departments or Agencies setting their own sectoral strategy and goals, and then subsequently identifying specific needs or challenges to be addressed, whether that be through education, regulation, taxation or potentially expenditure on an infrastructure project.