Ireland's Recovery Plan Gets a Major Update

What problem is being addressed?
Ireland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) was approved in September 2021, but since then some of its measures can no longer be carried out because of objective circumstances (e.g., a key agency withdrew, inflation rose, grant uptake was slower, and some projects were delayed). The plan also needs to keep meeting EU rules on green and digital transition and must still receive the full financial support it was approved for.

How the problem is being solved here
The Council amends the 8 September 2021 implementing decision to:

• Remove or change 20 specific measures that are no longer achievable or that have been replaced by better alternatives.
• Adjust the milestones, targets and timelines for the remaining measures.
• Keep the total financial contribution at the approved amount of EUR 1 153 797 007.
• Confirm that the amended plan still meets all EU assessment criteria (green transition, digital transition, cost‑efficiency, etc.).
• Set up a detailed monitoring, audit and reporting framework so the Commission can see progress and verify the use of funds.

What changes as a result of this document

• 20 measures are amended or removed (e.g., measure 1.2 “Accelerate the Decarbonisation of the Enterprise Sector” is removed; measures 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9).
• Milestones and targets are updated for all remaining measures, with new dates ranging from 2021 to 2026.
• The plan is split into five payment instalments:
• 1st: EUR 323 803 933
• 2nd: EUR 115 511 906
• 3rd: EUR 240 286 336
• 4th: EUR 249 302 195
• 5th: EUR 224 892 637
• A new monitoring and audit system is required, with a repository of data, an independent audit body, and a delivery committee that meets quarterly.
• The financial contribution remains unchanged; the Commission will still provide the full EUR 1 153 797 007.

Other important information

• The RRP is organised into three main components:

1. Green transition – decarbonisation of public buildings, rail electrification, peatland rehabilitation, river‑basin management, climate‑action legislation, and a carbon tax.
2. Digital transition – government data centre, enterprise digitalisation, school digital infrastructure, census online option, 5G compute nodes, e‑health projects, and a digital skills strategy.
3. Social & economic recovery – skills programmes, university reforms, entrepreneurship support, anti‑money‑laundering measures, tax‑planning reforms, pension simplification, affordable housing, and health system reforms.

• Each measure has specific milestones (e.g., contract awards, construction starts, approvals) and quantitative targets (e.g., 30 % energy‑use reduction, 10 % carbon‑budget cuts, 85 567 learners in green‑skills programmes).
• The plan includes a REPowerEU chapter that focuses on renewable energy (biomethane, offshore wind), energy‑efficiency retrofits, and net‑zero public transport.
• The Commission’s assessment confirms that the amended plan still gives a rating A for contribution to the green transition and a rating A for the digital transition, with a rating B for cost‑efficiency.
• The plan’s implementation will be overseen by an Implementing Body in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with an Independent Audit Body and a Delivery Committee chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and co‑chaired by the Departments of Taoiseach and Finance.
• Full access to underlying data will be provided to the Commission, OLAF and the European Court of Auditors once milestones are met.

This decision therefore keeps Ireland’s recovery plan on track, adjusts it to current realities, and ensures that the EU funding remains available and is used efficiently.