Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

The cross-departmental team on housing, infrastructure and public private partnerships last met on 4 April. The agenda included a presentation on broadband, which gave an overview of the impact of broadband, our objectives and challenges for the future. An overview of developments in the management and delivery of public private partnership was also presented by the Department of Finance. Transport 21 and the team's annual report were also discussed at this meeting. The annual report has just been finalised and will be published and laid before the Houses shortly. At the team's meeting on 1 March the discussion focused mainly on Transport 21, climate change and energy issues, in particular the overall policy directions to be given to the Environmental Protection Agency in preparing its second national allocation plan. The next meeting of the cross-departmental team is scheduled for 10 May 2006. The team continues to assist in progressing and resolving issues relating to infrastructure planning and delivery.

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