Bulletin 26-1: Public Investment in Transport Infrastructure: A Competitiveness and Productivity Perspective

The NCPC is pleased to publish Bulletin 26-1 on Public Investment in Transport Infrastructure: A Competitiveness and Productivity Perspective. Transport infrastructure plays a key role in promoting economic competitiveness, productivity, and sustainable development.

Although Ireland has performed strongly in the IMD’s ranking for global competitiveness with an overall ranking of 7th in 2025, our performance with regard to infrastructure continues to weigh on the overall ranking. Looking specifically at basic infrastructure (water, energy and the density of road and rail networks), Ireland ranks 44th – out of 69 economies. The basic infrastructural deficit in relation to transportation is particularly significant. According to the IMF, Transport-specific deficits have been shown to be more acute, with Ireland’s net capital transport stock 41% below average levels of high-income European countries compared to 32% in relation to general physical infrastructure. In that regard, the National Development Plan presents a valuable opportunity to address transport related infrastructural deficits, with an additional €24.3bn earmarked for transport investment between 2026 and 2030 (with the bulk of funding being allocated to Public Transport and Road Networks).

This bulletin outlines the state of Irelands infrastructure, giving consideration to the economic consequences of our infrastructural deficit and delving into the positive externalities of transport investment beyond simply alleviating congestion, such as improving the usage of land for housing purposes and facilitating increases in labour supply by mitigating commuting costs.