The preparation of the NDP for the period 2007-2013 has been in progress since the Government announcement last August. The plan is due to be launched next November. It is not intended to publish any drafts of the Plan before its publication.
The Plan will be a high level strategic document setting out the overall investment framework for the next seven years. The Plan will not be a list of projects. Projects will flow over the period of the Plan from the investment framework set out in the Plan.
The Plan will build on and embrace existing policies in areas such as Transport under T21, Science and Technology under the SSTI, the strategy on higher education already announced by Government and other relevant Government policies, including as appropriate commitments made under social partnership.
The final structure and content of the plan will ultimately be a matter for Government but I would anticipate that the next Plan would encompass the following key features:
•An overriding commitment to economic and budgetary sustainability; the investment allocations set out in the next Plan will be dependent on the availability of resources.
•A commitment to a further major enhancement of our economic and social infrastructure, notably in key areas of Transport, Environmental Services, Social and Affordable Housing, Health, Education, Broadband and Energy.
•Investment in support of the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation.
•Investment in Education at all levels with a particular emphasis on the 3rd and 4th levels in tandem with continued investment in labour force training and lifelong learning.
•Support for the productive sector including enterprise, agriculture, the marine sector, tourism and services generally.
•The promotion of social inclusion.
•A substantive investment framework to promote a better balance in regional development in line with the template of the National Spatial Strategy including a framework for development of the Rural Economy.
•Promotion of better North/South economic cooperation and of the all-island economy.
•Investment in the environment to promote environmental sustainability accompanied by a general objective that investment in general is compatible with this goal.
•The plan will also have a number of horizontal themes as follows:
•Balanced regional development through the implementation of the National Spatial Strategy.
•The all-island dimension.
•Environmental sustainability.
•The promotion of social inclusion.
An extensive consultation process has been undertaken. An invitation to make submissions was extended to the Social Partners, Regional Bodies and bodies representing key stakeholders such as the Western Development Commission, the Heritage Council, Comhar and the Combat Poverty Agency. A number of meetings have also taken place with organisations making submissions. A consultation seminar for the Southern and Eastern Region will take place on 20th July next and for the BMW Region on 7th September next. Each Government Department involved was also asked to consult with bodies and agencies within their aegis in order to inform the material submitted by them.
The ESRI was commissioned to carry out an ex-ante evaluation of the investment priorities for the period 2007-2013. I understand that the evaluation is nearly complete. When finished, it will then be submitted to Government for consideration with publication expected sometime thereafter.
