Ireland submits its fourth payment request under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with a value of €249 million
-
From: Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
- Published on: 19 February 2026
- Last updated on: 19 February 2026
The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, has announced that Ireland has submitted its fourth payment request under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
Ireland will receive approximately €1.15 billion over the lifetime of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) funded by the RRF as part of the European recovery plan, NextGenerationEU.
The overall objective of Ireland’s NRRP is to contribute to a sustainable, equitable, green and digital recovery effort, in a manner that complements and supports the government’s broader efforts.
The RRF allocation will be paid to Ireland in five instalments. The drawdown of payments under this performance-based Facility is contingent on the timely delivery of the milestones and targets by each Accountable Department and on providing the supporting evidence to this effect. Ireland has already received its first three payments under the Facility, equating to approximately 60% of its €1.15 billion allocation.
The fourth payment request relates to 8 milestones and targets with a total value of approximately €249 million and includes investments such as:
- construction of an extended platform at Cork’s Kent station to enable future electrification in Cork commuter rail;
- construction of a Government data centre;
- e-Health projects that support the digitalisation of the Irish healthcare system;
- Solas’ Recovery Skills Response Programme (e.g. Green Skills Action Programme and the Skills to Compete Initiative) to support the reskilling and upskilling of workers; &
- Technological Universities Transformation Fund to build capacity in education and training in technological universities.
In addition, Ireland’s fourth payment request includes a series of reforms in offshore renewable electricity to accelerate the uptake of offshore renewable energy sources.
Minister Chambers said:
"I am pleased to announce that we have submitted Ireland’s fourth payment request under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). This follows a comprehensive review by my Officials of the remaining milestones and targets within Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and extensive engagement between departments across Government and the European Commission during the informal cooperation process.”
“The RRF is the main pillar of the European recovery plan, NextGenerationEU, designed to provide financial aid to Member States in order to combat the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and make the European economy more resistant to future shocks.”
“The Commission will now review this fourth payment request and send its preliminary assessment of Ireland’s fulfilment of the milestones and targets required for this payment to the European Council's Economic and Financial Committee. Subject to approval of the fourth payment request, Ireland will have successfully achieved 80% of the milestones and targets within the Plan, and will have received 80% of our €1.15 billion total allocation.”
Notes
The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the main pillar of the European recovery plan, NextGenerationEU, designed to provide financial aid to Member States to combat the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and make the European economy more resistant to future shocks.
The RRF entered into force on 19 February 2021. It finances reforms and investments in EU Member States made from the start of the pandemic in February 2020 until 31 August 2026. Countries can receive financing up to a previously agreed maximum amount.
To benefit from support under the Facility, EU Governments have submitted national recovery and resilience plans, outlining the reforms and investments they will implement by 31 August 2026, with clear milestones and targets. The plans had to allocate at least 37% of their budget to green measures and 20% to digital measures.
The RRF is performance-based. This means that the Commission only pays out the amounts to each country when they have achieved the agreed milestones and targets towards completing the reforms and investments included in their plan.
Ireland’s RRF allocation is €1.15 billion, including REPowerEU. With the final amendments agreed with the Commission and Implemented by decision of the Council, the Irish National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) now covers 10 reforms and 18 investments with 98 associated milestones and targets. Payment is contingent on achievement of the milestones and targets in each payment instalment.
More information can be found on the government and European Commission websites at:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d4939-national-recovery-and-resilience-plan-2021/ and