Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said that the revised National Development Plan will provide a “significant uplift”, particularly in areas that need strategic investment such as water, energy, transport and housing.
“We know that Ireland has an infrastructure deficit and we want to give a strong signal that over a series of years, the funding is there to really drive the delivery of this critical infrastructure that’s central to building the prosperity in the future,” he said on RTÉ’s News at One.
The Minister said that the Minister for Housing James Browne was currently working on a revised Housing Plan.
“Minister Browne has taken a series of measures to help support increased housing supply from decisions he’s made in recent weeks. He said he will set out a further detail on a housing plan towards the autumn,” Jack Chambers said.
“Obviously, housing will be the central issue in our wider National Development Plan, and ensuring we have the broader infrastructure, the grid and the water infrastructure that supports the supply of housing across our economy,” he stated.
“We want to drive affordability and housing, but also ensure that we meet the supply needs that I know many families want to see delivered over the coming years,” he added.
Mr Chambers said that the lower VAT rate for restaurants would be upheld, as laid out in the Programme for Government.
“It was a clear direction, given from the Programme for Government. Minister Donohoe will obviously set out the parameters for the tax package as part of the summer economic statement as part of wider budgetary planning,” he said.
