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 Framework and 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 Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s 2021 annual conference, Nation Building: Ireland’s Infrastructure Priorities, focused on exploring the themes arising from Review to Renew, the public consultation of the review of the National Development Plan.
This, the second annual conference organised by the National Investment Office was attended by over 187 stakeholders, representing key sectoral areas and saw public sector colleagues, academics, policy makers and delivery agencies to participate and engage on strategic foresight in capital expenditure planning and investment, and megatrends that will shape our future.
The ultimate objective of the conference was to share experiences from different levels and perspectives – from international organisations to local delivery agencies – build networks and take action on improving project delivery.
Following on from the inaugural National Investment Office Annual Conference ‘Infrastructure in an Era of Uncertainty’ in 2020, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform convened the new public sector infrastructure network, InfraNet. This forum critically examines public investment governance, reform and innovation, as well as offering an opportunity for experts in the public sector and delivery bodies to share best practice, and common issues and solutions.
The third InfraNet event took place on Friday 29th January 2021. The theme of the webinar was 'Capital for Climate'. The session saw a fruitful exchange between policy-makers and industry experts, and has informed the review of the National Development Plan which is currently underway. A detailed précis and slides from the event are available below.
Prospects 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.
