The Government’s revised National Development Plan (NDP) has failed to prioritise community infrastructure or to provide underpinning for social inclusion and community development, Sinn Féin has said.
The party’s spokesperson on Rural Affairs, Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Conor D. McGuinness TD, said the review offers “no new ambition and little clarity on how or if vital community projects will be delivered.”
Speaking today, he said:
“This review was a chance to place community development and social inclusion at the centre of capital investment planning — but Government has once again come up short. There’s no roadmap for the regeneration, facilities, or services that are essential to strong, safe and sustainable communities.”
“Despite headline figures about billions in capital spending, much of this is already committed — and in many cases, it simply reflects the increased cost of construction. There’s very little ambition and even less detail. Government has failed to show how this review will translate into real delivery.”
McGuinness said the need to deliver new homes is urgent, but must be accompanied by investment in public and community infrastructure:
“The housing figures in this plan are completely inadequate. But even if those homes were built, we’ve seen before what happens when communities are left without the services and infrastructure they need. That mistake must be repeated.”
“There’s no capital pipeline for key schemes like the Community Centres Investment Fund, Town and Village Renewal, CLÁR or LEADER. No plan to support local development companies, youth services or voluntary organisations. No clarity on how the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht intends to prioritise or deliver any of this.”
He concluded:
“Sinn Féin will continue to fight for a joined-up approach to community investment — one that recognises the vital role of public amenities, voluntary groups and regeneration schemes in social inclusion and community life. Communities deserve more than political spin. They deserve a plan that puts them at the centre.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 