Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Finance if a new national development plan will be introduced when the current one expires; if any preparatory work has begun on this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26625/05]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm that there will be a new national development plan; when consultation is envisaged to commence with interested parties on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26547/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 102 together.

The Government announced last August that it has agreed to the preparation of a successor to the current national development plan which runs to the end of 2006. The new national development plan will cover the seven year period from 2007 to 2013. The preparation of the new plan will be co-ordinated by the Department of Finance.

Preparatory work on the new NDP has commenced at interdepartmental level. Tenders have also been invited in respect of an independent ex-ante evaluation study of investment needs over the period 2007-13 which will feed into the preparation of the next NDP. A full scale consultation process on the plan will commence in the near future. This will involve in particular the social partners, regional interests and other concerned interest groups.