In July 2020, the European Council (Heads of State and Government of each EU Member State), adopted a historic €750 billion recovery package for Europe.
This package, NextGenerationEU, is Europe’s shared response to the severe health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. Next Generation EU is an ambitious and common recovery package which will complement and support each country’s own national response to the crisis.
The overall objective of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan is to contribute to a sustainable, equitable, green, and digital recovery effort, in a manner that complements and supports the Government’s broader recovery efforts.
Ireland’s Plan will do this through a set of 16 investments and 9 reform commitments, to a total value of just under €1 billion, to be supported both by grants from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and national funds.
The Plan includes three priorities:
1. Advancing the Green Transition;
2. Advancing and Expanding Digital Reforms and Transformation;
3. Social and Economic Recovery and Job Creation.
Minister McGrath said:
“With an investment of €915 bn in the current round of RRF from the EU, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan marks a key milestone in our path to economic recovery from Covid-19. The Plan will enable us to move beyond the pandemic and to invest in the future in key areas such as climate change and a digital transition. It will also help us to mend some of the scarring impacts of the pandemic and help people get back to work.
“The plan closely aligns with both the forthcoming Economic Recovery Plan and the review of the National Development Plan that is currently underway. It will have a particular focus on green and digital transition and social and economic recovery.
“In a year that has seen us take on the twin challenges of Covid and Brexit, support from Europe is evidence of the solidarity that has been the hallmark of our EU membership over the last five decades. A lot of work has been undertaken behind the scenes to get to this point today. I want to take this opportunity to commend all those who have worked on the Plan, and I look forward to engaging further with the European Commission as the Plan moves to the Council of Ministers for final authorisation in the months ahead.”
Minister Donohoe said:
“The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the centrepiece of Europe’s response to the pandemic, a powerful symbol of solidarity and hope. It shows our joint determination to recover from this crisis in a way that delivers the jobs and growth our people need. It is also a powerful tool to deliver the green and digital transitions that are required to build a better tomorrow. We have worked hard to craft a National Recovery and Resilience plan that effectively aligns with the forthcoming Economic Recovery Plan and the ongoing review of the National Development Plan. But it is not just about our plan alone – we will all benefit from the shared and inclusive recovery these recovery plans will bring right across Europe.”