National Development Plan

National Development Plan main points: how much is being spent and what are the big winners?

NDP is a total investment of €275.4bn from 2026-2035

Fast-track planning to speed up national infrastructure in €200bn plan 

Investment in housing, water and grid infrastructure, defence, prisons and sports facilities planned under NDP

The Irish Times view on national economic planning: strategy must be recession-proof

To leave sufficient leeway, further growth in State capital investment has to be married with tighter control of current spending

Budget to focus on long-term gains at cost of short-term pain

Spending on infrastructure to rise as cost-of-living measures unlikely to feature

Ireland’s infrastructure to be ‘transformed’ over next decade with €200bn plan

Ministers to be warned to rein in current spending

Plans to invest €200bn in Ireland’s infrastructure over next decade set to be unveiled

Revised National Deveopment Plan being billed as one of largest ever capital expansion programmes in State’s history

We need to face up to the fact that not all middle-earners are squeezed

Here’s what to look out for next week as the Government signals its big budget moves

Ministers sought multiples of available funding as part of national plan review

Spending on five key areas yet to be resolved in advance of launch of revised National Development Plan next week

No agreement yet on how proceeds of Apple tax case will be spent

Disagreement remains over funding for housing, health, education, transport and defence under €20bn revised National Development Plan

Drop in housing commencements was expected after ‘record’ year, Taoiseach says

Lower figures for 2025 follow end of a waiver on developer levies, Micheál Martin says

Green Party leader calls on Government to retain funding of key climate projects

Announcement of €5m district heating fund comes amid concerns over possible rollback of climate spending as revised NDP is finalised

When the world’s most powerful banker issues a warning about Donald Trump’s tariffs, we should listen

Import tariffs will cost US households $2,400 this year, Yale research estimates. Sooner or later, the pain will start to bite

No giveaway budget this year, Ministers told

Summer economic statement will not be agreed until next week at earliest

Smaller apartments, with fewer features, to be allowed in attempt to tackle housing crisis

Easing space and design requirements could cut cost of a flat by up to €100,000, government sources say

Trade and economic uncertainty reaches record levels, Government trade forum hears

Government assessment is of robust economy continuing to grow, but at slower rate

Cost to take priority over ‘aesthetics’ in future State infrastructure projects

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers was in London where he spoke of a new “disciplined” approach to investment

ESRI cuts growth forecasts and warns of constraints to building projects

Think tank lowers growth outlook for economy on back of US trade policy uncertainty

Ireland needs to ditch empty promises and economic fairy tales and start confronting reality

Official documents seem to exist in some kind of parallel universe, with no expectation that targets can be met

Delays to housing plan could push it back to September

Government figures say plan could not be completed until funding review of multi-year infrastructure delivery programme published

Onerous regulations frustrating delivery of infrastructure, NED told

High level of bureaucracy blocking delivery of projects, Dublin Chamber’s Aebhric McGibney says

State must meet ‘unprecedented challenges’ against backdrop of significant economic threats, says Taoiseach

Pre-budget National Economic Dialogue on Monday to hear calls for accelerated housing and infrastructure delivery

Political nerves jangle over rent reforms: ‘We’re out defending something without any real evidence it’s going to make a difference’

Some in the Coalition parties fear the costs could outweigh the gains regarding changes to rent pressure zones regime while others point to the longer-term electoral picture

Buildings designed as creches are being sold as residential homes

Government Ministers working to update planning regulations to prevent change of use of childcare facilities

‘Fight for us in the communities’: Views on ‘rocky’ first year of Limerick mayor

John Moran, Limerick’s first directly elected mayor, calls for a ‘large and thoughtful master plan’ for the city

Ireland’s emissions trend ‘alarming and shocking, with actions reset required’

Stop Climate Chaos responds to projections that show Ireland will only cut emissions by 23 per cent compared to a 51 per cent legally binding target

Limerick Mayor eyes introduction of hotel tax to fund tourism offerings

John Moran likens ability to raise revenue locally to powers of similarly elected European mayors

The future of Ireland depends on the progress of science

Ireland can be a world leader in scientific breakthrough when the right conditions are in place

Irish pharma exports to US projected to halve over five years in event of trade war

Cabinet to be briefed on potential impact of US tariffs on the EU

Investment in public transport is key to success of revised national planning framework

Either we spend a lot more on public transport, especially in regional cities and on rail lines serving new commuter belts, or the framework will be meaningless

Danish engineering group opens Dublin office and plans 50 hires

COWI, which has operations in more than 35 countries, says its focus here will be on driving green agenda

‘County colours’ platform compares wind energy contributions across Republic

Kerry led wind energy generation in 2023, generating 1,664 GWh of energy, followed by Cork, Tipperary and Galway

Half a million for a 33-page report on MetroLink? It may prove cheap at the price

Why spending €514,000 for a 33-page report on MetroLink may prove good value for taxpayers

Chambers pushes back on State role in flooding cover

With climate change driving concerns, a report estimates losses from a quarter-of-a-century flooding event would top €510m

Dublin Bus commuters give their views on services: ‘I just wish they were more regular’

Public share their thoughts on Dublin Bus services and network redesign

Dublin’s BusConnects: The issues still preventing it from being fully rolled out

Roll-out of Dublin bus network redesign accompanied by creation of 230km of bus lanes slowed by infrastructure delays and difficulties in hiring drivers

How long more is the Government going to cling to the fiction that 30,000 new homes is enough?

Current targets are based on published population projections from the 2016 census. Unfortunately, those projections are a serious underestimate

Small towns and vacant properties

We need to protect our towns for the future

Dart+, social housing and hospital beds to benefit from additional €2.25bn for National Development Plan

Minister says some projects hit by construction cost inflation but denies announcement linked general election timing

Is Europe in a ‘pre-war phase’?

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

Government face struggle to hit housing target, say experts

More supports needed to hit 33,450 target, experts argue

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