Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2004
243 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which the various targets set by and for his Department in the national development plan are likely to be met within costs and on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32912/04]
View answerI am satisfied that my Department is making good progress overall in meeting the budgetary and output targets associated with the implementation of measures under the national development plan. While progress was initially slow on some measures, expenditure is approaching target, and this is being reflected in increased outputs. I am confident that this trend will continue for the remaining period of the national development plan. The latest progress figures, as reflected in reply to this question, are based on the situation at end June 2004. Capital expenditure on most of my Department's programmes has accelerated during the second half of 2004 and this should be reflected in improved rates of progress when end-2004 data is completed.
By the end of June 2004, a total of 285 water services schemes had been completed and cumulative expenditure, at €2.152 billion, was running at 83% of the expenditure forecast to the end of the year. Priority has been given to completing the largest infrastructural projects and these schemes have optimised the return on investment in terms of their positive impact on the environment and their role in the achievement of the overall objectives of the national development plan. At the end of June 2004, the increase in wastewater treatment capacity provided since 2000 was equivalent to the needs of a population of 2.8 million and, over the same period, additional drinking water treatment capacity, equivalent to the needs of a population of 575,000, was also provided.
The water services investment programme for the years 2004 to 2006 contains 869 projects at various stages of construction and underlines my Department's continued commitment to water and wastewater infrastructure provision. Work is under way on reviewing targets and objectives to better reflect the progress achieved and anticipated up to the end of the national development plan period and will be completed in the new year.
My Department is also reviewing the programme complement for housing in a similar context. Cumulative expenditure on housing to June 2004 is of the order of €5.73 billion, or 91.8% of the allocation to end 2004. Despite significant progress in terms of output it has not been possible to achieve some mid-term targets due to higher than anticipated construction and serviced land costs. The Government's decision to introduce multi-annual capital investment programmes provides an important opportunity to ensure a structured basis for the planning and delivery of all social and affordable housing programmes.
Output under the non-national roads measure is ahead of target, with improvements to 19,400 kilometres of non-national roads up to end June 2004. This is 80% of the final NDP target. Expenditure, at €1.8 billion to end June 2004, is at 96% of profiled expenditure for the year. I am confident this very good rate of physical progress will continue for the remaining years of the NDP, thereby contributing to the social and economic development of the regions.
Cumulative expenditure on the rural water measure to end-June 2004 amounts to €253.86 million, or 57% of the allocation to the end of 2004. While expenditure on this measure is behind target, nearly 240,000 people are benefiting from new or improved rural water schemes. This is approximately 90% of the final target in the national development plan. Percentage compliance with the drinking water regulations, at 81%, exceeds the mid-term target of 75%, but work remains to be done over the coming years to achieve the final target of 95%.
Expenditure on the waste management measure is behind target, as delays in the adoption of waste management plans by local authorities precluded expenditure in the first two years of the national development plan. However, the rate of expenditure has increased significantly, reflecting good progress in delivering modern waste infrastructure facilities. I am confident this rate of progress will continue during the remaining years of the national development plan.
Up to the end of June 2004, over €50 million had been spent on the urban and village renewal measure. While expenditure has been at roughly 50% of target, over 500 projects have been completed or are under way. This measure aims to make cities, towns and villages more attractive places in which to live and work. It also seeks to encourage social and economic development and to facilitate and support the development of tourism and tourism related activity. While this measure was slow to get under way in the early years of the NDP, much progress has been made in more recent years and I am confident that it will meet its budgetary and output targets.
Expenditure under the habitats protection and conservation measure did not reach the mid-term target and output under the measure has also been behind target. Due to significant difficulties in acquiring suitable sites, development of two visitor centres has been slower than anticipated. However, sites have been bought in both cases, and it is hoped that both centres will be built within budget before the end of the NDP period.
Funding is also provided under this measure for conservation purposes by way of the acquisition of designated lands and compensation to landowners who forego income as a result of designation. It is very difficult to forecast the level of expenditure associated with these payments. My Department has prepared revised indicators that will better reflect the progress being made under this measure and, subject to approval, these will be in use from spring 2005.
Revised indicators have also been prepared for the heritage conservation measure where cumulative expenditure to end June 2004 is at 53.6% of target. A total of 48 heritage sites have been improved to end June, up from 36 sites at the end of 2003. Heritage sites attracted some 2.4 million visitors in 2003, which is 92% of the final NDP target.
