National Development Plan Review 2025

“Transformational investment to safeguard our future”

This is the plan to secure Ireland's future, to transform the country, unlock housing, upgrade water and energy infrastructure, deliver more roads, and provide better public transport.

The largest ever capital investment plan in the history of the State will create the building blocks needed to deliver thousands of new homes, more childcare and school places, investment in children’s disability services and better healthcare for all.

Against a changing and uncertain global economic backdrop, it is the plan to grow our economy, protect jobs and enhance our competitiveness to secure our future prosperity.

Project Ireland 2040 is the government’s long-term overarching strategy to make Ireland a better country for all and to build a more resilient and sustainable future. The strategy ensures the alignment of investment plans with the stated National Strategic Objectives for 2040 in a considered, cohesive and defined manner. This represents a shift from the approach of the past, which saw funding spread thinly across sectors and public investment decisions. Alongside the development of physical infrastructure, Project Ireland 2040 supports business and communities across all of Ireland in realising their potential.

The National Planning Frameworkand the National Development Plan 2021-2030 combine to form Project Ireland 2040. The NPF sets the vision and strategy for the development of our country to 2040 and the NDP provides the enabling investment to implement that strategy.

The aim of Project Ireland 2040 is to construct an improved Ireland for all of us. By 2040, there will be approximately one million additional people living here in Ireland. This population growth will require hundreds of thousands of new jobs, new homes, heightened cultural, and social amenities, enhanced regional connectivity and improved environmental sustainability. Project Ireland 2040 sets out to deliver these.

The Infrastructure Guidelines set out the value for money guidelines for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects, including purchase or acquisitions of assets or shareholdings, in Ireland. The Guide replaces the Public Spending Code requirements for capital expenditure outlined in Public Spending Code: A Guide to Evaluating, Planning and Managing Public Investment, December 2019. The arrangements set out in the Guide apply to all public bodies and all bodies in receipt of Exchequer capital funding.

Ireland has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient national progress with the launch of the revised National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2030, which closely aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In Ireland, a whole-of-government approach has been adopted for implementation of the SDGs, with each Minister having specific responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their Ministerial functions. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has overall responsibility for promoting the SDGs and overseeing their coherent implementation across government, including the development of the National Implementation Plans.

The third SDGs National Implementation Plan is currently being developed and will build on previous plans with a focus on improving policy coherency across the Goals at all levels of Government and increasing engagement with the SDGs across sectors and society.’

As Ireland’s largest-ever capital investment plan, the NDP sets out a transformative vision for delivering modern infrastructure, promoting balanced regional development, and tackling climate change—core priorities that underpin the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The NDP is more than a plan for infrastructure—it’s a roadmap for a more sustainable, fair, and prosperous Ireland. By aligning our national priorities with the SDGs, Ireland is ensuring that every euro invested helps build a better future, not just for Ireland, but for the global community.

Supporting the Goals That Matter

The NDP directly supports progress across multiple SDGs through targeted investments in critical areas:

• Climate Action (SDG 13) and Clean and Affordable Energy (SDG 7): Climate-related investment will accelerate Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy, supporting retrofitting, public transport, renewable energy, and biodiversity.
• Life on Land (SDG 15): The NDP will also support progress towards nature and biodiversity objectives
• Sustainable Cities & Communities (SDG 11): Major funding for social and affordable housing, urban regeneration, and active travel promotes inclusion and livability across Ireland’s towns and cities
• Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure (SDG 9): Investment in transport networks, digital connectivity, and research infrastructure will foster innovation and resilience.
• Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6): An additional injection of €4.5 billion has been provided specifically for water services, on top of the NDP provision with a total of €12 billion released and earmarked specifically for critical water infrastructure investment.
• Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG10): The NDP supports healthcare infrastructure upgrades and education facilities across the country, ensuring access to essential services for all as well as investment in improvement in infrastructure in justice, agriculture, childcare, disability and enterprise.
• Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): By investing in skills, regional enterprise, and sustainable tourism, the NDP supports inclusive economic recovery and future job creation.
• Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG16): Through the Shared Island Fund, the NDP will deliver Cross-border infrastructure projects focused on fostering reconciliation, mutual respect and growth (e.g. transport, tourism and biodiversity projects).

A Framework for Sustainable Decision-Making

The alignment of SDGs and the NDP ensures that Ireland’s capital spending is guided by long-term sustainability principles. A new emphasis on climate and environmental assessment, regional equity, and monitoring progress using SDG-aligned indicators reflects Ireland’s broader commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda.

Looking Ahead

The implementation of the NDP will be overseen through robust governance structures, and progress will be transparently reported, including contributions to Ireland’s SDG objectives. Ireland has been a vocal advocate for the SDGs on the global stage. With the NDP, we are putting those principles into action here at home.

The Government has committed €165 billion in capital investment through the National Development Plan 2021-30 (NDP) published in 2021 which will fund vital infrastructure in areas such as housing, transport, education, enterprise, sport and climate action and provide good outcomes for our people. As a percentage of national income, annual capital investment is now among the largest in the EU. Achieving value for money and reducing cost and schedule overruns through robust oversight and governance arrangements is a vital part of delivering the NDP.

The NDP supports economic, social, environmental and cultural development across all parts of the country under Project Ireland 2040, in parallel with the National Planning Framework (NPF) which sets the overarching spatial strategy for the next twenty years. The alignment of the NDP and NPF under Project Ireland 2040 creates a unified and coherent plan for the country by ensuring our investment strategy supports spatial planning behind a shared set of strategic objectives for rural, regional and urban development, and will strengthen the link with the Climate Action Plan and other sectoral policies.

National Development Plan Review

Minister Chambers announced Government approval to commence a review of the National Development Plan in April 2025.

The review will cover all public capital investment to 2035 and will include Exchequer funds, the Apple Escrow funds, the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, and proceeds of the AIB share sales.

Government will prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next five years. While there will be a record level of funding available, it will be necessary to make choices and prioritise investments in sectors and programmes that boost our economic growth and competitiveness, while providing value for money.

You can read the press release announcing the review here: Ministers Chambers announces a review of the National Development Plan

Prospects 2023/2024 sets out a clear pipeline for some of the largest individual projects that comprise Project Ireland 2040. This sample of the pipeline spans projects which are currently at planning and appraisal stage to projects which are nearing completion. We invite construction firms, in Ireland, the EU and internationally, to consider the role that they can play in delivering these projects and in doing so help us fulfil the ambitious vision we have created in Project Ireland 2040.