The national development plan sets out a strategic framework for the development of economic and social infrastructure over the period 2000 to 2006. It provides for a total investment of approximately £24 billion – current prices – for such development. The various investment programmes have been further elaborated in the economic and social infrastructure operational programme and in the operational programmes for the Border, midlands and western region and the southern and eastern region. Of the total planned investment, approximately £19 billion is for infrastructure programmes coming within the remit of my Department, including national and non-national roads, water and waste water, housing, waste management and urban and village development.
Satisfactory progress is being made by local authorities and the National Roads Authority on the detailed programming of the work required and with the planning, design and implementation of individual infrastructural projects. Expenditure on such projects in 2000 amounted to £1.75 billion, which is in line with NDP targets, and good progress is continuing to date. Imple mentation is being actively pursued at all levels with a view to the timely completion of all NDP programmes. Implementation will be subject to a full mid-term review in 2003 and is being closely monitored.
Every effort is being made to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of improved infrastructure throughout the country. A broad ranging package of measures is being pursued under the direction of the Cabinet committee on infrastructural development to support the process of implementation. These include the promotion of public-private partnerships, new procedures for improved management of projects, improved arrangements for dealing with archaeological excavations, a communications strategy to gain maximum support for NDP programmes, measures to increase the capacity of the construction industry and the transfer of certain project approval functions to An Bord Pleanála.
I am satisfied that good progress has been made to date on the implementation of the national development plan infrastructure programmes and that this progress will continue towards achieving the ambitious objectives set out in the NDP.