Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Finance the profile of actual expenditure and expenditure versus profile in the Border midlands western region in the national development plan to June 2006. [32003/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Finance the amounts of extra expenditure spent in the Border midlands western region to June 2006. [32004/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together.

The National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) 2000-2006 is implemented through seven Operational Programmes (OPs). The most recent expenditure data on the Plan relates to the period to the end December 2005. The data for the first six months of 2006 will be available at the end of October 2006 following the meetings of the Operational Programme Monitoring Committees and I will write to the Deputy when this information is to hand.

The House will be aware of the general state of play in relation to expenditure in the BMW region from previous debates and questions on this issue. The figures reported indicate that all demands are being met. This represents some €12.1 billion or 76% of the total original forecast for expenditure (Exchequer, EU and private), and €10.7 billion, or 88%, of forecast Exchequer expenditure had been incurred by the end of 2005. This is a healthy implementation rate in view of the slow start up in some areas at the very beginning, the relatively disappointing response in certain demand-led schemes and the fact that Exchequer spending in relation to the Structural Fund OPs for the 2000-2006 period will in fact continue up to 2008.

I have made the point previously 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. It is also expected that co-funded measures under the Plan will achieve their full entitlement to Structural Funds in the BMW Region by the end of 2008, the timetable set out in the Regulations.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Finance the profile of actual expenditure and expenditure versus profile in the southern and eastern region in the national development plan to June 2006. [32005/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Finance the amounts of extra expenditure spent in the southern and eastern region to June 2006. [32006/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together.

The National Development Plan/Community Support Framework (NDP/CSF) 2000-2006 is implemented through seven Operational Programmes. The most recent expenditure data for the Southern and Eastern (S&E) Region on the Plan relates to the period to the end December 2005. The data for first six months of 2006 will be available at the end of October 2006 following the meetings of the Operational Programme Monitoring Committees and I will write to the Deputy when this information is to hand.

The figures reported indicate that overall some €32.8 billion or 96% of the total original forecast for expenditure (Exchequer, EU and private) and €27.9 billion or 108% of forecast Exchequer expenditure had been incurred by the end of 2005. The Exchequer contribution to the S&E Region under the NDP has exceeded its original target by €2.25 billion to the end of 2005.