Not enough Cork detail in National Development Plan, say local TDs

There has been some criticism of the shortage of detail in the Government’s €112bn revised national development plan (NDP) and its lack of funding proposals specific to Cork.

The revised NDP covers infrastructure funding for housing, energy, water, and transport projects between 2026 and 2030. Approximately €30bn of the overall €112bn is new funding, with some coming from the Apple tax settlement and the sale of AIB shares. Housing is the centrepiece, with funding of up to €36bn. Transport will receive €24bn, of which €2bn is to kickstart Dublin’s Metrolink. Some €3.5bn is earmarked for electricity services, with €4.5bn going to Uisce Éireann.

Some Cork opposition TDs criticised the NDP’s lack of specificity, and the absence of local plans.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central, said the lack of reference to Cork was “a huge concern” to him.

“The national planning framework talks about Cork being the fastest-growing city in Ireland, but you can’t deliver on that without a very significant investment in infrastructure, without commitment to the Cork Luas, the elective hospital, and so on, and I do think the NDP is far too thin on detail,” he said.

Michael Collins, Independent Ireland TD for Cork South-West, said the plan was “big on ambition but short on detail” and he accused the Government of being “far too fond of headlines”.

“Once again, when you strip back the headlines and look at the detail, West Cork has been left out of the conversation entirely,” 

he said.

Eoghan Kenny, Labour Party TD for Cork North Central, described the lack of detail as disappointing, and cited the Cork-Limerick motorway, the Mallow relief road, and the Cork Luas as projects that needed urgent attention.

“These are three vital pieces of infrastructure for Cork, they are vital for our city and county to grow and develop, but once again we are in the dark about real and tangible delivery on these projects,” he said.

However, Government TDs were quick to defend the NDP and point to the increased funding allocations.

Jerry Buttimer, minister of state and Fine Gael TD for Cork South-Central, said the NDP was not necessarily meant to be area-specific.

“For me, what’s important is that we have the allocation of capital investment so that we will be able to do what we have said we will do in terms of infrastructural development,” 

he said.

Séamus McGrath, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South-Central, said the €112bn was an unprecedented investment in capital programmes.

“As a Cork representative, I will be doing everything I can to make sure that Cork benefits from that, under the various headings of housing, transport, energy, and infrastructure,” he said.

Pádraig O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North-Central, said that while the plan did not go into specific project details, Government had committed further funding to existing commitments.

“Any suggestions or inferences that Cork projects are in some way dropping off from the existing development plan are false and, as usual, scaremongering from the usual quarters,” he said.