Vol. 545 No. 2
33 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by IBEC and CIF regarding the implications of delays in implementing the national development plan; if he discussed these concerns with IBEC at his meeting with the body on 22 October 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29954/01]
I have noted the positive endorsement of the key infrastructural objectives of the NDP by both IBEC and the Construction Industry Federation in urging the Government to continue with the timely implementation of the plan. The matter was discussed at the meetings I had with both IBEC and the CIF on 22 October.
As I stated to IBEC and the CIF, and as I have already indicated in answer to an earlier question, the NDP is a seven year programme. It specifically provided that year on year allocations may need to be modified in the context of the budgetary parameters and available resources. In relation to infrastructure, the economic and social infrastructure programme of the NDP, which sets down in current prices the indicative allocation of resources for each of the seven years of the plan, provided for total Exchequer and EU investment of 7.95 billion for the period 2000 to 2002. Based on the recently published Abridged Estimates and the outturns for 2000 and 2001 there will be a total Exchequer investment of some 8 billion over the first three years of the plan in the infrastructure programme, which is fully in line with that promised in the published operational programme.
The Exchequer is, therefore, honouring its funding obligations in respect of the infrastructural programme under the plan. This reflects the importance attached by the Government to tackling the country's infrastructural deficit through the ambitious programme set out in the plan. I welcome the continuing support of IBEC and the CIF for this objective.
