Key talking points as huge €1bn Capital Programme unveiled for Kilkenny

Kilkenny County Council has set out its Capital Programme for 2025 – 2030 with overall estimated spending of €1.015 billion. Of this total, the match funding required from Kilkenny County Council stands at €104.6 million.

Housing dominates the plan at €624.9 million.

The programme lists a target of 1,670 homes to be delivered during the plan’s timeline.

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Construction and acquisition are described as 100 per cent grant funded, but the council highlights a significant cashflow requirement to keep projects moving.

Delivery is to be spread across council builds, a council-owned development company, approved housing body schemes, affordable purchase options and cost-rental units.

Roads make up a smaller but still significant slice of Kilkenny County Council’s six-year capital plan.

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The national projects name-checked (100% grant funded) in the report include the N24 Waterford to Cahir, the N25 Waterford to Glenmore, the N77 Ballyragget to Ballynaslee realignment and the N24 Carrick Road Improvement scheme.

The Ballyragget to Ballynaslee job is almost complete, while the Carrick scheme is before a judicial review.

Headline local pieces here include Kilkenny City North Transport at €40 million (100% grant funding assumed) which is progressing through design; an Active Travel package costed at €14.9 million, including Vicar Street, with €14.4 million in grant support; €16.7 million for sustainable links and Western Environs infrastructure, with €12.5 million assumed in grants; an IDA relief road at €4.2 million; and €13.6 million for Ferrybank area infrastructure, backed by €10.6 million already secured under the URDF.

Six flood relief schemes (Graignamanagh, Ballyhale, Freshford, Inistioge, Thomastown and Piltown) are costed at €41.6 million and are fully grant funded.

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Construction is underway to combine the Museum of Medieval Kilkenny with the Tholsel into one tourism experience, a €9 million build with €4.5 million from Fáilte Ireland and €500,000 needed for upgrades around the garden of the museum (assumed 50% grant funding).

Urlingford is designated as Kilkenny’s first “pathfinder” town in the programme under the Town Centre First policy, with a public-realm redesign budgeted at €4.9 million.

Kilkenny’s South-East Greenway has a €44.9 million budget, with only €500,000 of council match funding needed for connectivity links.

A new city fire station is priced at €12 million, requires €1.1 million in match funding, and will share a site with a €2 million Civil Defence building.

The council plans a €1.1 million switch to electric vehicles at the machinery yard, replacing 20 fleet vehicles as part of its climate action programme.

These projects are just a snapshot of some of the major works envisaged under the capital programme.

The council notes that provision needs to be made for cost inflation and that estimates are all that is available at this stage for many projects.

The current estimate of funding shortfall in the plan is estimated at a minimum of €59.2million.

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A significant portion of this shortfall will be funded, according to the plan, from development contributions. Opportunities for additional grant funding are also set to be explored.

It is also noted that not all of the projects listed in the programme will be completed within the timeframe.

The Capital Programme was put before the elected members of Kilkenny County Council at Monday’s plenary meeting at County Hall, where it was broadly welcomed.

The capital programme will also be subject to regular review.

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