The National Development Plan - Project Ireland 2040 - will commit to expenditure on capital projects totalling more than €165 billion. Here is a breakdown of how it will affect various regions in Ireland.
South East
A number of road improvements, as well as the already-announced regeneration of Waterford's city centre, are among the projects in the southeast mentioned in the National Development Plan.
More than €27 million has been given as the cost for the Waterford regeneration, which was approved last March, while a number of road improvement schemes have also been given the green light - again, in some cases - today.
The N24 between Waterford and Limerick, which runs through Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Tipperary Town, Pallas Green, and several other towns and villages, has long been a source of grief in the areas involved.
It was selected for 'pre-appraisal and early planning' in 2018, particularly the sections from Waterford to Cahir and Cahir to Limerick Junction.
Today's published plan has the N24 improvement as "subject to further approvals" as well as the N25 enhancement of the road between Waterford city and Glenmore in south Kilkenny, and the N11/N25 between Oylegate and Rosslare in Co Wexford.
There were also plans in the 2018 blueprint for a Thurles Relief Road and a Carlow Southern Relief Road and these are again name-checked in the latest plan.
Projects which were successfully completed in recent years having been part of previous plans, include the completion of the M11 section between Gorey and Enniscorthy, as well as the New Ross Bypass, including the new Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge over the river Barrow.
Also mentioned was the Dunmore Wing at University Hospital, and the Waterford Greenway, which was developed between 2014 and 2017 at a cost of €21 million.
The long-awaited development of the North Quays in Waterford city was provided for in the 2018 plan, with funding since allocated to allow for strategic development zone designation and the infrastructure needed to proceed with a major business/leisure/tourism/residential development on the site.
However, the plan hit a snag earlier this year when the council in Waterford lost patience with the private development company involved in the regeneration project, because of contract delays, and it remains long-awaited.
A new rail station, seen as part of the overall necessary infrastructure for regeneration, is part of today's plan, as are bus corridors in Waterford city, the BusConnects scheme and a "sustainable transport bridge", which would link the north and south quays.
Other projects referred to in today's plan include a new water supply scheme for Clonmel in south Tipperary, as well as the Trinity Wharf development in Wexford town, which recently received planning permission and is described as "a new sustainable urban quarter" including office space, hotel accommodation, residential and leisure/cultural development.
Meanwhile, the Technological University for the South East (TUSE), which is now due to formally come into being at the start of 2022, is again referred to by the Government.
In 2018, 'new buildings' in Carlow and Waterford to facilitate a merger of their institutes of technology, and a 'site in Wexford' to facilitate an outreach campus as part of the southeast university, were all promised.
Today's plan says that "work is progressing to identify campus development needs" for TUSE, "including an expanded campus footprint in Waterford and a new campus in Wexford".
The Taoiseach said as late as last week that the formation of the TUSE is still on track for January.
Reporting: Conor Kane
North East
Virginia is the last remaining town on the N3 from Dublin to the border, and the only town on the national primary road network within 100 km of the capital which is not yet bypassed.
Today, it has retained its place in the National Development Plan alongside the N2 Ardee to south of Castleblayney, the N2 Slane Bypass and the N4 Mullingar to Longford road.
The N3 Clonee to M50 and the N2 Rath Roundabout to Kilmoon have also been carried over from the 2018 plan subject to further approvals.
A commitment on the planning and design of the Navan to Dublin Rail Line to the M3 Parkway near Dunboyne is specifically mentioned for rail projects in the Greater Dublin Area.
It's subject to the National Transport Authority's transport strategy review for the Greater Dublin area, which is due to be completed in the next month.
The DART+ Programme, including DART+ Coastal North to Drogheda via Balbriggan is also committed to, but no dates or timelines are provided before the NTA's transport strategy review.
Reporting: Sinead Hussey
South
€185 million has been committed to the creation of a Cork suburban rail network between Mallow, Midleton and Cobh by 2026.
Funded through the European Union's Recovery & Resilience Facility, Phase One of the Cork Commuter Rail Programme will see funds invested in improved signalling, future electrification, and double tracking on a route which will include six new stations in areas identified for development, including a new town at Monard near Blarney.
The NDP has also committed to continue funding the development and design of a proposed new east-west light rail network for Cork City, proposed under the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, but no time frame has been given for the realisation of the project.
Both the Cork University Business School (CUBS) and the Munster Technology University's Cork Campus have been earmarked for strategic investment in infrastructure and equipment.
€25 million has already been awarded to CUBS under Project 2040 to develop a new school in Cork city centre.
The NDP also included four major road projects announced originally in 2018, subject to further approvals.
These include the controversial N/M20 Cork to Limerick Road, where a preferred route is due to be announced early in 2022.
The N25 Carrigtwohill to Midleton, as well as the N72/73 Mallow Relief Road are also listed, as well as the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy.
This M28 was the subject of an unsuccessful High Court appeal by local residents last year.
The M28 is seen as a vital road infrastructural project, given the Port of Cork transfer of its port operations from Cork City to Ringaskiddy, allowing the freeing up of large land banks for redevelopment in tandem with plans for Cork City's docklands.
The development enables the port to accommodate larger vessels and further develop as an international gateway for trade.
Two major road projects are due for completion in 2024. The N22 Ballyvouney to Macroom bypass project, which is an essential upgrade of the main transport and tourist link between Cork and Kerry, and the M8/N40 Dunkettle Interchange at the eastern end of Cork City.
The intersection is seen as strategically important, improving connectivity between Cork, Dublin and Waterford as the city is earmarked to double its population between now and 2040.
While the Cork City Northern Transport Project (formerly called the North Ring Road) is not specifically listed as a proposed project, the plan notes that it is complementary to the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project and that Cork City Council has appointed consultants to carry out an assessment of route options.
The NDP plan also reconfirms its commitment to the renovation and redevelopment of the Crawford Art Gallery - a national cultural institution - with an investment of €28 million for the 200-year-old gallery.
There was some good news for the becalmed Cork Event Centre, with the confirmation that the project is now to proceed to the next level with the finalisation of a complex funding agreement, the completion of a design, and the commencement of construction.
Plans for a 6,000 capacity venue on the former Beamish & Crawford brewery site were first announced in 2016, but the project has been beset with funding issues, redesigns, increasing costs, and planning appeals.
It is set to cost €50m, which will be funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the NDL.
In Co Kerry, the N69 Listowel bypass has been fully approved.
Construction is due to begin within the next six months, and it is due to be completed by 2024.
The design and consultation work on the proposed N22 Farranfore to Killarney road project is to continue, subject to further approvals but a timeline and preferred route for the scheme has yet to be identified.
Reporting: Jennie O’Sullivan
Midwest
The much-anticipated changes to the current N20 roadway between Limerick and Cork may not be upgraded to a motorway, and may instead be subject to bypasses and improvements along the current route.
The proposed M20 could cost up to €3 billion if a full-scale motorway was to be built. It was designed to cut journey times by 30 minutes and improve safety, economic prosperity and access between the 2nd and 3rd cities.
But it was controversial, as it was cutting through farmland and homes on its preferred route along the current N20.
Other groups opposed also questioned the economic argument for such a large scale road project, which would add to the climate crisis, where transport accounts for 20% of our CO2 emissions.
The National Development plan has placed the controversial N/M20 Cork to Limerick route as one of the national road projects which were part of the original NDP, but are now 'subject to further approval'.
Other roads which were in the original plan and which are now also subject to further approval is a the N21 bypass of Abbeyfeale, the N21 bypass of Newcastlewest and the N21 Limerick to Adare/Foynes route.
It had been hoped that the N21 Adare bypass would be completed in time for the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027, but the plans to solve what is regarded as a notorious bottleneck leading into Adare could be delayed.
However, the plan does commit to improving access to our ports, in particular the port of Foynes, and says upgrading the roads to our posts, including the N21/N69 Limerick Adare Foynes road, remains a priority for Government.
Port Development works at Foynes will continue and expected to be completed by 2022. This includes jetty expansion, land purchase and site clearance.
The plan also commits to providing a rail link from Limerick to Shannon in the future, with new rail stations at Bunratty, Shannon town and Shannon Airport.
John Moran, former Chair of the LDA, and chairman of Liveable Limerick which has campaigned for better rail services in the city, has welcomed the commitments in the revised NDP to sustainable travel and in particular the further development of rail travel, and a rail link to Shannon airport.
"This is the first time I have seen a document of national policy that says we are going to do proper development in the cities around sustainable travel which is effectively active mobility and railways," he said. "It's really important that there is a rail skeleton around which cities are developed."
"There are a lot of unused rail lines in Limerick… building train stations is easy once you have the rail lines. The commitments in the NDP allows us to build up rail in the suburbs of Corbally, the Parkway, Ballykeefe and Dooradoyle and allows people to move around by rail and connect all the way to Shannon. So we stop having to think about people having to use their cars to go to Shannon, they can now connect by train which is really important for our airports."
He added that it's a very positive statement for Shannon that it plays a part in the Government’s thinking about our transport policy.
Reporting: Cathy Halloran
West
Minister Michael McGrath has said a number of road projects will get the go ahead despite the Government's commitment to spend twice as much on public transport.
The controversial Galway Ring Road is one of the major road developments listed under the NDP.
The project will be assessed based on climate impact and priority across the country.
The minister said road projects provided for in the NDP and committed to by Government are not all ready for construction and are at different stages of the planning process. In addition to Dublin, the four cities of Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford are listed for future investment under the NDP. Minister McGrath says a panel of external experts will oversee the process and projects will be subject to intense financial scrutiny.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan outlined what he described as the "transformation of the west of Ireland", with the development of the under utilised Western Rail Corridor.
He said he envisaged a rail network going all the way from the quays in Waterford to Limerick Junction with access as far as Ballina.
He also cited the former Athenry to Claremorris line as an example of a link up which he said would be so much more than just a section of railway line for commuters.
He said an inland rail freight port in a place like Limerick junction would form part of what he described as a low carbon future.
The Taoiseach said the Government would "enthusiastically" support expenditure for the Western Rail Corridor going forward.
Reporting: Teresa Mannion
Dublin
The revised national development plan (NDP) does not have a completion date for the landmark Metro Link project for Dublin.
Described by the plan as "likely the largest ever public investment project in the history of the State", the Metro Link and its status had been questioned ahead of the launch of the NDP.
The multibillion-euro NDP says that the planned completion date for the project is "to be confirmed".
It means that any kind of timeline for the Metro Link project, which will consist of a 19km railway service between Swords, Dublin Airport and Dublin city centre, remains unclear.
The previous version of the plan set the completion date as 2027.
Read more: Metro North delay latest in long list of postponements
Northern Ireland
There will be up to €3.5 billion available for cross-border projects and co-operation over the next 10 years under the terms of the National Development Plan.
The money will come from different funding streams and be used to develop infrastructure projects, climate action and skills and educational enhancement.
As part of the Government's commitment, the amount of money available under the Shared Island Fund will be doubled to €1 billion and its lifetime extended out to 2030.
Some of the priority projects are already well known, including the revamping of the Ulster Canal and the Narrow Water bridge at Warrenpoint.
But there is also now a greater emphasis on sustainability, with action promised on developing and connecting greenway networks and climate mitigation measures.
The ten-year plan will require collaboration between the Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and councils, particularly in the border regions. The EU and UK governments will also be involved.
It is understood there have been detailed conversations to identify strategic priorities.
"Our ambition is to create a more connected, sustainable and prosperous island for us all. We will do through a wide-ranging, sustained project of investment, delivered through all-island partnerships," said Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Other targets for investment include faster and more regular rail links between Belfast and Dublin; co-ordinated investment for improved roll-out of electric vehicle charge points; funding for all-island climate actions such as peatland restoration; and a continued focus on cross border health and education co-operation.
Reporting: Conor Macauley
More to follow
