Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will report on the implementation of the National Development Plan 2000-2006; the number of projects which were earmarked for completion in the life-time of the plan; the number which have actually been completed; the number of projects currently in progress; the number expected to be completed by the end of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27915/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) 2000-2006 set out to ensure that Ireland remained competitive in the global international marketplace and that the fruits of our economic success would be shared more equally at regional level and throughout our society. The Plan is implemented through seven Operational Programmes comprising 30 sub-programmes and 147 measures.

In the first six years of the NDP (2000-2005) over 44 billion euro has been invested nationwide. Significant progress continues to be made in the implementation of the NDP in the Regions. The latest information indicates that overall gross expenditure in the Border, Midlands and West (BMW) region is running at 12.1 billion euro for the six year period 2000-2005, with the Exchequer component running at 10.7 billion euro. In the Southern and Eastern (S&E) region overall gross expenditure is running at 32.8 billion euro, with the Exchequer element at 28 billion euro.

The information also indicates that the overall outturn for the NDP is expected to be near to forecast by the end of 2006, but with some over-performance and underperformance of expenditure taking place within the Operational Programmes that support the NDP. However, it is also expected that co-funded measures under the NDP will achieve their full entitlement to Structural Funds in both Regions by the end of 2008, the timetable set out in the Regulations.

Performance indicators at programme and priority level are included in the Operational Programme documents and at measure (and sub-measure) level in the programme complement documents. The monitoring indicators allow progress to be measured in terms of reaching objectives and targets, the impact and results of expenditure and the progress of the financing plan.

Each Operational Programme has a Managing Authority which monitors financial and physical output targets. Each Implementing Agency is required to supply physical and financial progress to the Operational Programme Monitoring Committee meetings held in the Spring and Autumn. The Progress reports for these are available from the respective Managing Authorities for the Operational Programmes as set out as follows.

The Operational Programme Monitoring Committee reports include a description of physical progress of each measure for the six month reporting period and since the beginning of the Programme, accompanied by the appropriate table of physical indicators. They also include a standard financial table which provides information of each measure by EU co-financed and non co-financed expenditure, national contributions, EU contribution and private financing.

These reports are collated and presented to the NDP/CSF Monitoring Committee which is chaired by my Department. This Committee plays an active role in the monitoring of the NDP/CSF and meets at least twice yearly to review progress being made towards achieving objectives and targets. The Committee is made up of a wide partnership of interests, including implementing Departments, the social partners, sectoral interests, and members of local authorities representing the regional assemblies.

This Committee reviews the progress being made towards achieving objectives and targets. Monitoring is carried out by reference to physical and financial indicators at the level of programme, sub-programme and measure but not at project level.

In addition to the ongoing monitoring, mid term evaluations of the NDP/CSF and of the individual Operational Programmes were carried out in 2003 the purpose of which was to provide an analysis of both progress under the programmes and of developments in the external environment. An update evaluation of the CSF was completed in December 2005 which provided a synthesis of overall CSF progress in both financial and physical terms to end 2004.

My Department has also recently published a report entitled Progress on the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The Report is available on my Department's website or on the NDP website and provides greater detail on the achievements to date under the National Development Plan.