Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 5

Written Answers. - Task Force Report.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

78 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views in relation to recommendations 1.2.6 and 1.3.2 of the Donegal task force initiative report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23077/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

79 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views in relation to recommendation 1.4.1 of the Donegal task force initiative report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23086/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

83 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the interdepartmental meetings, if any, which took place after the Donegal task force report was submitted to Government; the status of these meetings in view of the imminent publishing of the national development plan and the thrust of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter and expand on the Departments, if any, which were involved in the process. [23062/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

84 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position in relation to the Donegal task force report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23063/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

85 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the meetings, if any, which took place after the task force report for Donegal was submitted to Government to co-ordinate the response particularly in respect of the national development plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23064/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

86 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the meetings, if any, which have taken place between her Department and the Department of Education and Science in relation to recommendations 1.1.6 and 1.3.2 of the Donegal task force initiative report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23073/99]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

87 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the meetings, if any, which have taken place between her Department and the Department of Education and Science in relation to recommendation 1.1.7 of the Donegal task force initiative report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23074/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 79, 83, 84, 85, 86 and 87 together.

The timing of the presentation of the Donegal task force report enabled the investment programme which it recommended to be considered in the context of preparing the National Development Plan, 2000 to 2006. On my recommendation, the Government decided that all relevant Departments should examine the report and consider the investment priorities it proposes in drafting the operational programmes of the national development plan.

The task force's report recommends that implementation of its development strategy should be assigned to a new county development board which would need to be constituted and organised for this task. Pending the establishment of the county development board, the report envisages the establishment of a county executive forum, which would include representatives of the relevant Departments and agencies to progress the implementation of the priority actions recommended. I will be meeting with the chairman and members of the task force on 23 November 1999 to discuss the implementation of the report's recommendations. In the light of the foregoing, it has not been considered necessary to convene particular interdepartmental meetings in relation to the report's recommendations.

In relation to recommendation 1.2.6 regarding the economic development fund, my view is that the prospects for any expansion of the size of the fund should be based on an assessment of its objectives and a performance appraisal of its operation to date. Paragraphs 1.3.2 and 1.4.1 of the report recommend that a seven year spending allocation of £732 million be approved by Government to meet the cost of the investment priorities recommended by the task force. Given that our national development plans are formulated and implemented on the basis of national investment priorities which are centrally co-ordinated, I do not consider that it would be appropriate to carve out a specific budget for Donegal over the period of the plan. Adopting a piecemeal approach on a county by county basis would be the antithesis of having an integrated, centrally co-ordinated national development plan. I believe the decision taken by the Government, as mentioned above, is more appropriate.