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Government’s Ambitious Plans for

Transport Investment

Tom Ferris, Former President of CILT GOVERNMENT
The much-heralded National Development Plan 2018 – 2027
has finally been published. It promises a significant level of
investment, which will underpin the National Planning
Framework, and drive its implementation over the next ten
years. But there are big challenges that must be met,
including:
• Responding to Brexit
• Accommodating significant population increases
• Moving to be a low-carbon, climate-resilient society

Transport has an extremely important role to play in meeting
these challenges. Ensuring that the right investments are
made, at the right time, and in the right places, is the job of
the Government of the day.

Strategic Investment Priorities
The National Development Plan (NDP) promises almost €116
billion investment over the next ten years. This represents a
substantial commitment of resources by any standard. If
delivered, it will ensure further growth in employment, with Tom Ferris, Former President of CILT
appropriate regional development. It will also provide clarity
to the construction sector, allowing the industry to provide TABLE A
the capacity and capability required to deliver Government’s
long-term investment plans. The NDP lists ten strategic TRANSPORT PROJECTS
investment priorities and three of those relate to transport –
national road network; environmentally sustainable public
transport, and airports/ports. Projects € billion

1. National Roads 5.7
2. Regional/ Local Roads 4.5

3. Airports 3.8
4. Metro Link 3.0

5. Bus Connects Programme 2.4
6. Dart Extensions 2.0
7. Ports 1.0

8. M20 (Cork/Limerick) 0.9
9. Electric Cars 0.2

Projects with Price-tags
The NDP does not indicate precisely what share of the NDP’s Transport Total 23.5
€116 billion is earmarked for transport. But calculations show
that it represents between 20 and 25 per cent of the grand Grand Total 116.0
total. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is Transport % Share 20.3%
getting a capital allocation of nearly €10 billion out of a
grand total of €38.5 billion, for the five years 2018 through
2022. The 20 per cent comes from Table A which lists nine Source: Table 3.2,
specific transport projects that represent €23.5 billion of the National Development Plan
€116 billion total.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport 25