Local Authority Climate Action

The National Development Plan

Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies

As part of PI 2040, the revised National Development Plan, which was reviewed in 2025, sets out the Government’s over-arching investment strategy with planned capital expenditure of over €100 billion for the period 2026-2030. The NDP allocates €24.3 billion for transport over this period to help develop active travel, bus and rail infrastructure, which will facilitate the transition to sustainable mobility and a low carbon transport system. An additional €2.25 billion in capital investment from windfall corporation tax receipts was made available to be allocated in the 2024 to 2026 period. This funding will facilitate the progression of important projects and enable more rapid development of key Programme for Government commitments under the NDP such as further delivery of immediate Public Transport projects such as Dart.

The three Regional Assemblies form the regional tier of governance in Ireland and the Regional Assemblies implement the objectives of PI 2040 at a regional level through the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs). The RSESs are strategic plans and investment frameworks to shape future growth in the Regions, which support the implementation of the NPF and align with the investment priorities of the NDP. The Regional Assemblies also have oversight and coordination in relation to the compliance of statutory city and county development plans at a local policy planning level, ensuring these plans are aligned with the RSESs, and hence the NPF.

Under the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024, regional spatial and economic strategies are required to identify sustainable settlement patterns and transportation strategies in urban and rural areas (including public transportation). This includes a statement of the actions being taken (or proposed) for the purpose of ensuring the effective integration of transport and land-use planning and how the regional spatial and economic strategy proposes to address matters identified in any relevant transport strategy of the National Transport Authority.

Budget 2026 sets out €3.4 billion in capital funding for transport. This funding will support a number of initiatives including enhanced capacity on existing public transport routes and ongoing investment of almost one million euro per day in cycling and walking infrastructure.

The NDP emphasises the need for a transport-led approach to housing development, allowing for the emergence of sustainable and well-connected communities where active travel is feasible and attractive for many localised journeys and good quality public transport is available to facilitate longer journeys into major urban centres.

Local Authority Climate Action

The success of policy on climate and transport relies heavily on the support of Local Government and the implementation capacity of Local Authorities (LAs). It necessitates the formulation and implementation of measures aimed at better aligning transport with spatial and land use planning, as well as the implementation of demand management measures such as, but not limited to, road space reallocation, kerbside management, the provision of active and shared mobility infrastructure and services, and the creation of low traffic/car free environments.

The NDP also continues to support the protection and maintenance of the existing road network to ensure the safe and efficient travel of all road users across the country, as well as targeted new road investment to provide for regional connectivity and compact urban growth.

The ongoing current funding requirements such as pay, maintenance and other operational costs associated with NDP-funded projects are not captured under the investment envelope outlined above.

These measures are key to supporting mode choice where viable alternatives exist. The role of LAs in demand management cannot be overstated. Increased capacity will be needed to achieve the objectives of this Strategy and underpin the ambition expected from Local Authority Climate Action Plans.

The critical link between travel behaviour, settlement patterns and planning, and the extent to which the NPF can advance the objectives of this Strategy, are discussed in more detail in Chapter 9 and inform a number of important recommendations in Chapter 10.