Vol. 555 No. 1
19 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress made to date in 2002 in implementing those areas of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17366/02]
323 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the degree to which the objectives set out for and by his Department in the national development plan are on target for achievement; if he proposes a revision of such targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17720/02]
375 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the extent to which he expects his Department to achieve the targets set in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17850/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 323 and 375 together.
The national development plan provides for a total investment of approximately €30 billion in the development of economic and social infrastructure over the period 2000-06. Of that total planned investment, approximately €17.5 billion is for programmes within the remit of my Department, including housing, water and waste water, non-national roads, waste management, urban and village development, habitat and heritage protection and conservation.
Satisfactory progress is being made in meeting the targets set out in the national development plan. Expenditure to date amounts to €5.3 billion which is in line with the NDP targets. Good progress is being made on housing, water and non-national roads programmes. A total of €574.2 million was spent under the five housing measures in the first six months of 2002. Output for the first six months compares favourably with the same period last year and indications are that annual targets for 2002 will be achieved.
The NDP provides for investment amounting to almost €4.4 billion on water and sewerage schemes. Expenditure on major schemes in the first half of 2002 amounted to €284.9 million or 53.6% of the forecast for the year. The investment programme for the years 2002-04 contains more than 600 individual water and sewerage schemes, including 129 new schemes. A further €70 million has been set aside in 2002 for the rural water programme. Expenditure in the first half of 2002 for non-national roads amounted to €187.32 million. Good progress continues to be made under this measure and this was confirmed by the evaluation of investment in the road network, an independent evaluation carried out by economic consultants Fitzpatrick Associates, published in August 2002 and available in the Oireachtas Library.
