€200bn plan will 'help transform Offaly' - Clendennen

More homes and schools, better healthcare facilities, new roads, connected infrastructure and investment in disability services are all part of the National Development Plan for Offaly, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy John Clendennen said: “A €200bn National Development Plan (NDP) was unveiled this week by Fine Gael to help transform Offaly and to ensure a better quality of life for all.

“This plan will upgrade water and energy infrastructure, deliver more roads and better public transport across the region here. These are the building blocks we need to deliver thousands of new homes and ensure better communities through more schools and better access to healthcare.

“As a member of the Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, I especially welcome the €10bn in equity funding over the next decade aimed at the ESB Networks, EirGrid, Uisce Éireann and low-carbon transportation. Having funds available over a number of years is key to seeing follow through on major projects, required now more than ever, to provide for our growing population and ensure our competitiveness on the world stage.

“I further welcome the reduction of stages for major projects from five to three and the increased general threshold for these projects resulting in smaller scale projects having to go through less steps.

“I’ll be working throughout the Summer months with my party leader and Tánaiste Simon Harris and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to ensure that our priorities for Offaly are at the top of the agenda ahead of October’s Budget.

“We are in a position to ensure that we have one of the largest and most important capital injections into our economy in Offaly due to the careful management of the country’s finances by successive Fine Gael Ministers. My party campaigned on greater infrastructure delivery and to remove obstacles to providing more homes and services.

“The opposition told us not to plan for Budget surpluses, rainy day funds or put money aside for future investment. What position would we be in if Sinn Féin managed our country’s finances? They would have wasted all the effort and work of Irish taxpayers and future capital investment in Offaly would not have been possible.

“Now, we are putting forward a plan to invest €200bn over the next decade to safeguard our economy, drive growth and opportunity, protect jobs, increase competitiveness and ensure prosperity for our people and communities. This is crucial at a time of growing international uncertainty and serious threat of tariffs which pose significant risk to our economy,” Clendennen said.

Overall, almost €100bn is being allocated for the next five years – an additional €30bn on what was previously allocated in the NDP. A further €100bn for the period 2026 to 2035 is also contained in the NDP. In the coming months, projects and investment programmes to be prioritised will be outlined with the additional funding allocation received following the review of the NDP.