Spending under the National Development Plan, details of which were announced today, is broken up into five categories.
Economic infrastructure
Under transport, €13.3 billion will be spent on national roads, and almost €13 billion on public transport, including measures already announced in Transport 21. The €8.5 billion energy component will include investments by ESB, Bord Gáis and EirGrid, as well as the East/West and North/South interconnectors.
In the environmental area, €4.75 billion is allocated to water services, with €270m for the purchase of climate change trading allowances.
There will be €435m for communications, including measures 'to address market failures in the provision of broadband'.
€830m is allocated for the Government's decentralisation programme up to 2011.
Enterprise, Science and Innovation
€6 billion will be invested in science, technology and innovation, mainly in research and development. Enterprise Ireland will receive €1.7 billion to invest in indigenous companies, while €1.6 billion will be aimed at attracting foreign direct investment.
€8 billion goes towards agriculture and food development, aimed at creating a 'competitive, consumer-focused agri-food sector'. €800m is provided for tourism marketing, infrastructure and training.
Human Capital
€2.8 billion will be invested in training and skills development programmes, with another €4.9 billion for specific groups such as lone parents, people with disabilities and travellers. There is also €13 billion for third-level infrastructure and €5 billion for modernising first and second level schools.
Social infrastructure
The biggest portion goes to housing, with €21 billion for social, affordable and voluntary housing.
This will allow for the provision of 60,000 new local authority houses over the period of the plan as well as another 17,000 affordable homes.
The remainder goes to health, prisons and sport - including the Lansdowne Road stadium redevelopment.
Social inclusion
€12 billion goes to a children's programme, which includes childcare services, recreational facilities and special needs education. There will be almost €10 billion aimed at helping older people to live independently at home and €19 billion for programmes for people with disabilities.
Regional
On regional development, the Government is to set up a €300m fund to help develop local infrastructure in the 'gateway' centres identified in the National Spatial Strategy. The fund is designed to attract matching funding from public or private sources
