PLANS TO establish the Government’s €7 billion NewERA body will be brought to Cabinet within weeks. The proposals will be finalised in a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on infrastructure and will be delivered to the Cabinet within a fortnight, a spokesman for Minister of State for the Environment Fergus O’Dowd said.
“We plan to make an announcement at Cabinet level in the next few weeks,” he said.
NewERA will handle the sale of State assets. It will also be responsible for investment in “next generation” infrastructure, including a new water network, broadband access for every home in the country, a “smart grid” for electricity and gas and a national bioenergy company.
In response to a question in the Dáil last week, Mr O’Dowd said: “I hope to be in a position to set up NewERA within the next three to four weeks. I am committed to ensuring speedy progress is made in this regard.”
Mr O’Dowd’s office was unable to provide details on the structure or level of staffing of the new body, saying the matter was still under discussion.
“Until Cabinet cast their eyes over this and give approval, or not, we can’t give any details,” the spokesman said.
“He would hope that they will approve [the proposals],” the spokesman said, adding that the Minister was confident in the work of the committee.
It is unclear whether the proposals for the new body will be discussed in the Dáil before the summer recess.