Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans for changes in the way in which a successor to the NDP will be drawn up. [12508/06]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for Finance the preparations which have taken place regarding a replacement for the national development plan; and the way in which the inputs will be cobbled into a coherent programme. [12524/06]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Finance if an independent evaluation study of investment needs over the period 2007 to 2013 in preparation for the next national development plan has been completed; and if same will be made available to the public. [12416/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans for a successor to the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12549/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Finance the progress of the consultation process promised in advance of the introduction of a new national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12392/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 38, 48, 74 and 88 together.

Last August the Government announced its decision to prepare a successor to the current National Development Plan 2000-2006. The next NDP will cover the period 2007 to 2013 and its preparation is being co-ordinated by my Department. A high level steering group chaired by my Department and comprising senior officials of relevant Departments has been established to oversee the drafting of the plan and has met on a number of occasions to date.

An extensive consultation process on the next national development plan is under way. Formal submissions have been sought from the social partners, the regional assemblies, regional authorities and a number of concerned interest groups such as the Heritage Council, Comhar, the Combat Poverty Agency and the Western Development Commission. A number of submissions have already been received and my Department has also had meetings with some of the bodies concerned.

An evaluation of investment priorities for the period of the next NDP is being conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute. When the ESRI has concluded its work, its evaluation will be presented to Government in the first instance. As was the case with previous evaluations it is envisaged that the ESRI evaluation will be published.

The content and focus of the next NDP and the resultant allocations and prioritisation will be a matter for decision by Government. In doing so, the Government will take account of the recommendations of the ESRI study and the results of the consultation process. I envisage that the new plan will seek to address the investment now necessary to maintain national competitiveness within a sustainable economic and budgetary framework. It will also set out a coherent investment strategy at sectoral level with particular reference to the infrastructure investment necessary to meet economic and social challenges.

In addition the plan will address the following horizontal themes: the implementation of the national spatial strategy; the all-island dimension and the potential benefits of cross-Border co-operation; the EU Lisbon process; the promotion of social inclusion; and environmental sustainability.