Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Finance the significant changes which have been implemented by his Department to date in 2005 in delivering the national spatial strategy; and the costs, benefits and savings that have accrued. [34076/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not directly fund projects or programmes of significance related to the implementation of the national spatial strategy. However, the achievement of balanced and sustainable regional development, a central objective of the NSS, is nonetheless a priority for my Department and my Department is represented on the interdepartmental committee on implementation of the national spatial strategy under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Investment in infrastructure is an important element in the implementation of the NSS. My Department has consistently accorded considerable priority to such investment, particularly through the national development plan. The NDP is supporting the NSS, both by enhancing the economic and social infrastructure in the Gateways identified in the NSS and by improving transport links between them. The Government's decentralisation policy has selected locations which take account of the national spatial strategy, the existence of good transport links and the location of existing decentralised offices. The aim is to establish viable clusters of offices within a region and to contribute to balanced regional development. The Government announced last August its decision to prepare a successor NDP for the period 2007 to 2013 when the current NDP runs out at the end of 2006. Delivering on the NSS, especially the development of the gateways, will be a priority objective of the next NDP.