Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Apr 1990

Vol. 397 No. 9

Written Answers. - Regional Development.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

107 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance if he proposes, in consultation with the other Government Departments with responsibility in the area, to publish on a formal basis a regional plan for the country having regard to the lack of an adequate regional policy from an urban settlement point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Finance (Mr. A. Reynolds)

The National Development Plan 1989-1993 (NDP) submitted to the Commission of the European Communities in March 1989 sets out the Government's policy in regard to regional as well as national development.

The prime objective of the plan is to promote the national and community aim of economic and social cohesion and to enhance our capacity to share fully in the benefits of the internal market. The plan, however, has a strong regional orientation and has been designed to ensure that the benefits which will accrue will be dispersed throughout all the sub-regions.

The community support framework (CSF) the Commission's response to the NDP adopted in October 1989 specifies the structural/development measures in the NDP which will be funded from the Structural Funds over the plan period and the level of assistance which will be provided. This in turn will be implemented through a series of sectoral operational programmes which will be published as they are approved by the Commission. The operational programmes will specify in more detail the particular development measures to be undertaken in each sector/development area.

For the purpose of implementing the CSF, the working and advisory groups which were established during the course of the preparation of the NDP will be amalgamated into sub-regional review committees. They will meet not less than twice a year to receive and consider progress reports and financial statements on current and planned implementation of development measures in their sub-regions. The review committees will be provided with an annual breakdown of expenditure of a structural nature in their sub-region which will form the basis against which progress on implementation can be assessed.

The Deputy will be aware that at local level the physical planning needs of individual areas are set out in the development plan prepared under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts.