On 22 July 2026, the Council approved amendments to Ireland's recovery and resilience plan, introducing specific milestones and targets for green transition and digital transformation measures. The amendments, detailed in a Council implementing decision, set deadlines for investments in public building retrofits, rail electrification, bog rehabilitation, and wastewater upgrades, among others. Ireland must meet these targets to access EU recovery funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The amended plan includes Component 1 (Green Transition) with investments such as retrofitting at least 7,400 square metres of public buildings by Q2 2026, electrifying 7.5 km of Cork commuter rail track and installing 62 km of signalling by Q2 2026, and rehabilitating 24,500 hectares of bog by Q2 2026. A National Grand Challenge Programme must issue letters of offer for at least EUR 25.7 million, EUR 20.6 million, and EUR 19 million by Q1 2026. Wastewater treatment upgrades at 10 plants are due by Q3 2025. Reforms include the Climate Action Bill, which entered into force in Q3 2021, with carbon budgets set by Q4 2021 and the first plan update in Q3 2022, and annual carbon tax increases of EUR 7.50 per tonne from 2021 to 2025, completed by 30 June 2025. Component 2 (Digital Transformation) supports digitalisation of public services, enterprises, digital skills, and infrastructure.
The amendments build on the original recovery and resilience plan approved by the Council on 8 September 2021. Ireland's plan, worth approximately EUR 1 billion in grants, aims to address economic and social challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new milestones provide concrete benchmarks for disbursements, with the European Commission responsible for verifying progress. The Council's decision formalises the updated plan, which Ireland submitted in response to changing circumstances and investment priorities. Stakeholders, including Irish public authorities and construction firms, will be directly affected by the green investment targets, while digital transformation measures impact technology providers and small businesses. The timeline for completion is tight, with several milestones due in 2025 and early 2026, requiring accelerated implementation. The European Commission will monitor progress and recommend fund releases based on achievement of these targets.