Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 24 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 4

Written Answers. - Cabinet Sub-Committee.

John Bruton

Question:

16 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the terms of reference of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure Including Public Private Partnership; and the number of times the committee has met. [24343/99]

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

17 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the terms of reference and the membership of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure Including Public Private Partnership; when the committee last met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24544/99]

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.

The Cabinet sub-committee on infrastructural development and public private partnership, which I chair, includes the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Enterprise, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, the Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform and the Attorney General. The general purpose of the committee is to oversee the delivery of key infrastructure in the context of the National Development Plan.

The Cabinet sub-committee is assisted by a cross-departmental team which includes the Departments of the Taoiseach, Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Finance, Environment and Local Government, Public Enterprise, Justice Equality and Law Reform and the Attorney General's office. The terms of reference of the team are to develop and oversee the implementation of a framework for action and in particular to bring forward proposals to deal with planning approval issues to reduce delays in infrastructure delivery which could include proposals for legislative and constitutional change; support development and implementation of public private partnerships; support the ongoing work of the Cabinet committee.

Over the summer, the team produced a framework for action on infrastructural development including public private partnership and this framework was approved by the Cabinet sub-committee in September and subsequently by the Government. The key elements of the framework have been included in the National Development Plan.

I have arranged for copies of the framework for action to be laid before the House.

Following on the finalisation and publication of the national development plan, I see the Cabinet committee playing a key role in ensuring that the core national roads and public transport priorities of the plan are implemented efficiently and on time. To that end, I am arranging for regular meetings of the committee.

The committee had a meeting with CIE yesterday and will meet the National Roads Authority tomorrow.