Capital Programme worth €1.35 billion is unveiled

Fingal County Council unveiled a three-year Capital Programme worth €1.35 billion at tonight’s monthly meeting of the Council.

The three-year plan, which runs from 2024 to 2026, is a 37% increase on the previous Capital Programme and is four times larger than the programme that was adopted in 2017.

A total of 312 projects are covered under the new Capital Programme of which 67, representing a spend of €215m, are already on site.  The remainder are in the concept to project approval cycle. This time last year there were 37 Capital Programme projects worth €117m on site.

These include major projects such as the €150m mixed tenure development at Ballymastone, the €116m mixed tenure development at Church Fields in Mulhuddart, the €44m Swords Cultural Centre, the €16m Ongar to Barnhill Road and the €7.7m pedestrian and cycle route on the Harry Reynolds Road in Balbriggan.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Adrian Henchy, said: “This is the fifth Capital Programme that has been brought before this Council since the last local elections in 2019 and every year we have seen the number and value of projects grow. However, the most pleasing thing is that we have also seen delivery and there has been a tremendous improvement in strategic infrastructure across the county including new housing, new community facilities and new transport links as well the preservation of our heritage. The majority of our funding for these projects has come from Central Government and it is certainly helping us to grow our county in a sustainable way.”

Just over €1bn of the funding for the Capital Programme will come from grants with development levies providing a further €120m and €59m being sourced from Fingal’s revenue budget. An additional €66m will be generated through loans and other sources. Another €99m worth of projects in the three-year plan are under assessment for possible funding sources.

Housing projects account for 63% of the Capital Programme at €859m while another €177m will be spent on Planning and Strategic Infrastructure projects like the Broadmeadow Greenway, the Snugborough Road Interchange, the Ward River Park, and  Recreational Hubs in Donabate, Lusk and Rush.

The reinstatement and enhancement of regional roads across the county forms part of €48m Operations capital works programme that also includes infrastructural works to bridges and harbours, new playgrounds, and the public toilets refurbishment programme. A further €32m has been set aside for Community facilities which includes the completion of the new Community Centre in Meakstown.

The Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel Department will have a budget of €77m for projects such as the provision of protected cycle lanes and safe routes to schools, Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure, climate mitigation measures and landfill projects.

The programme for the Economic Enterprise Tourism and Cultural Development Department totals €139m and includes €37m for industrial development, €18m for heritage properties and €7m for the refurbishment of libraries. There is also a €30m provision for urban and rural regeneration of which €20m is earmarked for projects that are part of the Our Balbriggan regeneration plan.

The Programme projects a capital spend in 2024 of €386m, followed by €522m in 2025 and a further €447m in 2026.

Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly said: “There is already a considerable amount of work underway with 67 projects already on site which is almost double what was on-site this time last year. We also have strong commitments in place to deliver many of the other projects in the Capital Programme and I look forward to progressing those over the next three years. There are other projects which councillors have asked us to look at, such as swimming pools, which are not yet ready for inclusion in the Capital Plan because we are carrying out audits to assess demand and potential cost. The programme reflects our determination to ensure that, as our population continues to grow, we are also developing the infrastructure required to build sustainable communities.”

The presentation of the 2024-2026 Capital Programme to councillors can be viewed here.

 A copy of the 2024-2026 Capital Programme is available here.

The Capital Programme is a rolling plan which is revised annually as time and other constraints may vary the progress of projects within a given period. The decision of councillors to agree the Capital Programme 2024-2026 does not confer approval on any individual project. This can only be done through the normal statutory processes and compliance with the Public Spending Code. Funding arrangements also need to be clearly identified and secured in advance of committing to any project.