Government not addressing 'vital' social infrastructure deficit in Kildare North – TD

A Kildare North Fine Gael TD has told the Dáil that the government is failing to address the social infrastructure deficit in the north county.

Deputy Joe Neville was speaking in the Dáil when 'Infrastructure Plan: Statements' came before the House on Wednesday, January 28 2026.

Welcoming the €102bn national development plan, which he admitted was “a huge amount of money to spend”, Deputy Neville said that nevertheless, the government was playing “catch-up” on money that “probably should have been spent in previous years.”

He also welcomed the accelerated infrastructure task force, and the attempt to rid Ireland of “unnecessary blockages and bloated bureaucracy”, which he said we have become all too accustomed to in this country.

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Speaking on the issue of social infrastructure in Kildare North, Deputy Neville said: “When people think of infrastructure we think of roads and rail which are overground. We think of water and wastewater which are underground. Often what is not considered is the social infrastructure that is needed to knit communities together.

“North Kildare, with its rapidly growing population, is lacking vital social infrastructure. I have referenced many times before in this Chamber the need for school improvements, new school buildings and more crèches to be introduced into large growing towns along with other amenities such as playgrounds and greenways as well as obviously the need for a new swimming pool in north Kildare.

“In the last couple of weeks, I have been dealing with the need for a new school in Celbridge and we have major issues with St. Patrick's National School. We have an issue with spaces for children going into schools in Naas and Leixlip. These have been coming on my desk in the last couple of weeks and indeed are continuing today. I am working closely with the Minister, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, on those but at the same time these are emblematic of the issues we are facing in north Kildare.”

Deputy Neville told the House that although houses are being built “by the thousand” in his constituency, the government is not delivering on behalf of communities.

The national development plan addresses major infrastructure issues that are needed for the area, he added, but at the same time it is not building for the communities behind that.

Deputy Neville concluded: “Kildare has another problem to go along with these issues. Towns like Leixlip, Kilcock and Naas are thriving as regards housing but ultimately their town and village centres are not thriving.

“Large-scale URDF funding has not gone into these towns and villages in the past and ultimately that is where we need to get to. Overall, I welcome the plan but at the same time we need to renew our communities. We also need to renew our town and village centres.”