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National Development Plan.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2004

Wednesday, 23 June 2004

Questions (99)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

101 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the extent to which the targets set for the national development plan have been achieved to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18879/04]

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Written answers

The monitoring committee for the national development plan and the community support framework received reports at its meeting on 16 June 2004 on progress to the end of 2003 on each of the operational programmes. In terms of expenditure, over €28 billion has now been spent on the NDP in the period from 2000 to the end of 2003 or some 54% of the projected expenditure for the 2000-06 period. Currently, over €8 billion worth of expenditure is being incurred on the NDP annually. In overall terms, I remain confident that the expenditure targets set for the NDP should be achieved.

The ESRI in its mid-term review of the NDP stated that significant progress has been made towards the plan's objectives of continuing sustainable national economic and employment growth and consolidating and improving Ireland's economic competitiveness. The plan is having a sustainable positive economic effect with expenditure to end-2002 adding a permanent increase of 3% to GNP. In the economic and social infrastructure element of the NDP, projects of unprecedented size and scope are under way or shortly to be completed, particularly in the areas of transport and environmental infrastructure including the Luas and Dublin Port tunnel.

At this stage, it is clear that not all physical output targets in the NDP will be achieved by 2006. However, the multi-annual capital envelopes, 2004-2008, introduced recently will enable substantial funding of the NDP to continue to end 2006 and will ensure that investment in infrastructure will remain a priority beyond this period. This will bring a major enhancement of the economic and social infrastructure of the State.

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