Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has received a copy of Co-operation Ireland's submission to the National Development Plan 2007-2013; if he has noted its recommendation for increased practical co-operation for mutual benefit; his views on this document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6990/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government announced in August 2005 that it will prepare a national development plan for the period 2007 to 2013. The current NDP has seen an unprecedented investment in our economic and social infrastructure. To build on that success, the Government will set out a new blueprint for investment for the seven year period after the expiry of the current plan. The new plan will in particular seek to address the investment now necessary to maintain national competitiveness within a sustainable economic and budgetary framework.

The all-island dimension will be a particular strategic theme of the new NDP. In preparing proposals for the new NDP, Departments have been asked to include proposals on enhanced North-South co-operation. As part of the extensive consultation process under way in preparation for the next NDP for the period 2007 to 2013, I received a submission from Co-operation Ireland.

I welcome Co-operation Ireland's input into the NDP consultation process. Co-operation Ireland is an important promoter of practical cross-Border co-operation. Through its education, exchange and facilitation programmes, as well as its work on the all-island Pride of Place Award and as an intermediary funding body for the Peace II and INTERREG IIA programmes, it makes an important contribution to developing mutual understanding and reconciliation on a cross-Border basis.

Its recommendations, which cover issues such as the future funding of cross-Border programmes, the practical barriers to co-operation and the importance of co-operation in the education sector, are valuable in informing our thinking, not just with regard to the NDP, but to North-South co-operation in general.