Pillar 4: A Balanced and Inclusive Recovery

The Government is committed to recovering differently through a balanced and inclusive approach for our people and our regions, and ultimately to boosting people’s living standards and well-being.

Strategic investment will be a critical enabler of our recovery, particularly in relation to regional infrastructure investment, as well as the twin green and digital transition. There will be €915 million for Ireland in the first tranche of funding under the European Recovery and Resilience Facility, as well as multi-billion levels of longer-term capital investment under the forthcoming revised National Development Plan. The Brexit Adjustment Reserve will also be an important vehicle to support recovery by helping to counter the adverse effects of Brexit in the sectors and Member States most impacted; Ireland’s proposed allocation represents just over 20% of the overall fund, or just over €1 billion.

Ireland’s spatial and planning policies, including Project Ireland 2040 and associated National Planning Framework, along with the National Broadband Plan and our enterprise agencies are critical enablers of growth in the regions. The revised National Development Plan will include an over-arching focus on balanced regional development and climate across all sectors.

A new Housing For All Strategy will provide a whole-of-Government approach to targeting 33,000 homes every year, and in doing so generate significant employment opportunities.

Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan also has advancing the green transition at its core, with total funding of €503 million to support seven projects including de-risking a Low Cost Residential Retrofit Loan Scheme, the enhanced rehabilitation of 33,000 hectares of former industrial peatlands; €20m River Basin Management Plan to upgrade rural waste water treatment plants; and a National Grand Challenges Programme of mission orientated funding to be rolled out by Science Foundation Ireland.

Supporting a Just Transition to ensure no one is left behind will be a key focus of the forthcoming Climate Action Plan 2021 and a guiding principle in the development of our statutory plans and policies under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Acts.

The Government is committed to the development of a Town Centre First approach. It will be supported by coordinated investment including the €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and an expanded Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

The Government’s recently published Rural Development Policy, ‘Our Rural Future’, sets out the potential to re-balance the regions as we recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Remote working, which allows people to move to regions and revitalise our towns, is being driven through the National Remote Work Strategy and the delivery of a national network of Connected Hubs.

The Government’s commitment to grow the all-island economy will make a vital contribution to recovery, particularly in border areas which have been impacted by Brexit as well as the pandemic - the €500m Shared Island Fund for North-South projects will be progressed.

Work is currently underway with local authorities on plans for the short-term recovery of city centres from the impact of the pandemic. The initial focus is on helping activity return to city centres in a sustainable and safe manner during the Summer. In the post-pandemic era, opportunities to reimagine aspects of our cities must be carefully managed so they can best serve our people over the long term and are more enjoyable places to live, work, consume and socialise, supported by vibrant businesses.

Improved sustainable mobility within the cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford can act as a key growth enabler. New city delivery boards will be established to drive the strategic co-ordination of metropolitan public investment and transformational regeneration.

Good employment and better living standards and conditions will be achieved through targeted reforms, developed in consultation with employers and trade unions through improved social dialogue structures including the Labour Employer Economic Forum.

Government’s priorities in the period ahead will include:

o Following a Public Consultation on the introduction of Statutory Sick Pay, publishing the General Scheme of a Bill, followed by enactment by end 2021;

o The Low Pay Commission examining how best a living wage could be introduced in Ireland, with research to be completed before the end of the year;

o Research being undertaken on the best approach to piloting a Universal Basic Income, via the Low Pay Commission, with recommendations in early 2022;

o Supporting a Just Transition through the Climate Action Plans;

o Significant initiatives to promote gender equality including through the Citizens’ Assembly and enacting the Gender Pay Gap Information legislation without delay; and

o Appropriate regulation for the platform economy.