73. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the overall allocation of €550 million to the urban regeneration and development fund up to the end of 2022 is ring-fenced regardless of potential economic circumstances; and if the €2 billion allocated to the fund up to 2027 under the National Planning Framework is guaranteed. [38945/19]

As part of Project Ireland 2040, Government allocated €2 billion to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), to support the compact growth and sustainable development of Ireland’s five cities, regional drivers and other large urban centres. Management of these resources falls to my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, in the first instance. That said, I have already signalled in the Summer Economic Statement that Government will prioritise spending that mitigates risk, enhances the resilience of the economy and raises our growth capacity, including spending in support of Project Ireland 2040.