Vol. 549 No. 4
15 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the position regarding the promised national heritage plan; her plans to publish the plan before the end of 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6807/02]
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 37 of 12 December 2001. As I stated in that reply, it is my intention to seek Government approval for the plan in the very near future. When Government approves of the plan, it will be published at the earliest possible moment.
I thank the Minister for her reply. However, she referred to "the very near future" in her reply on 12 December, but it is not the very near future on 27 February. Why has the plan not gone to Government at this stage given that the Minister was signalling in December that the plan was to be approved in the very near future? We could have assumed from what the Minister said that the plan would have gone to Government before the end of 2001.
As the Deputy will know from previous replies I have given, this plan has been a very comprehensive strategy and I am very proud of the work that was done on it. I know that when it will be published, which will be soon, the work will be very much appreciated in that it has covered so much. It was on foot of a considerable amount of submissions – 350 submissions were received and assessed. The opportunity exists to implement a very excellent plan, which will incorporate not just the work done from the top down but the work done at local level as well.
As I said in my initial reply, I want to publish it and it will be published as soon as I bring it to Government, which will be shortly.
The Minister's last promise of seeking approval for the plan in the very near future turned out to be a promise that extended over two months. If the same happens in this case, the plan will not go to Government within the life-time of this Government. Can we be guaranteed that the plan will go to Government within the lifetime of this Government? Will the Government have this plan for consideration before the end of March?
I hope that is the position. The Deputy can be assured this will be published within the life time of this Government.
The printers will not manage half of it.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): We will wait and see.
Do not worry, it will be done. It is just a question of getting approval from Government.
