Politics

Howlin to announce infrastructural investment plan

Minister expected to provide funds for housing, schools, roads and flood defences

Brendan Howlin briefed the Economic Management Council on the plan, which will run until 2020 and is expected to allocate €3.5 billion to such projects each year. File photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
Brendan Howlin briefed the Economic Management Council on the plan, which will run until 2020 and is expected to allocate €3.5 billion to such projects each year. File photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
Sarah Bardon
Wed Jul 01 2015 - 01:00

Projects in areas such as housing, flood defences, roads and education are to be announced by Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin in the next fortnight as part of the Government’s capital plan.

Mr Howlin on Monday night briefed the Economic Management Council – which includes the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Finance and Mr Howlin – on the plan, which will run until 2020 and is expected to allocate €3.5 billion to such projects each year.

Bilateral meetings took place between Mr Howlin and his Cabinet colleagues over the past number of weeks and final decisions will soon be made.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe has sought a €300 million annual increase in his budget for the maintenance of roads. He has warned stark decisions may have to be made if funding is not allocated.

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Mr Donohoe is also expected to be given the green light for one large project, likely to be a Luas link from Dublin city to the airport.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly is expected to secure funding for social housing projects. There is also a proposal to invest in making local authority housing more energy-efficient.

School-building programme

Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan is seeking funding for a five-year school-building programme. She intends to unveil that plan in September but is awaiting allocation details.

The Office of Public Works is also to secure funding for a five-year flooding plan which could cost up to €500 million.

Minister for Communications Alex White is seeking funds to improve broadband.

Mr Howlin has previously pointed to capital expenditure which was heavily reduced as successive government’s sought savings following the State’s economic collapse.

Announcing the Government’s spring economic statement in April, he said “it is now time to invest again to meet our infrastructural needs and this will be reflected in the capital review, particularly in the years from 2018 to 2020”.

Mr Howlin refused to be drawn on comments by Tánaiste Joan Burton about a further €5 increase in child benefit in the October budget.