Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to publish a national sustainable development strategy; the matters such a strategy will address; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36510/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Ten Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, includes a commitment to publishing a renewed National Sustainable Development Strategy by mid 2007.

Ireland's first sustainable development strategy, Sustainable Development — A Strategy for Ireland was published in 1997. A review of the Strategy, Making Ireland's Development Sustainable, was published in 2002, ahead of the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg.

The renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy was adopted by the European Council at their meeting in June, 2006.

Ireland's renewed Supportable Development Strategy will take account of the revised EU Strategy and our specific circumstances including:

the publication of the Lisbon Agenda-National Reform Programme 2005;

the Ten Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015, Towards 2016, and

the National Development Plan 2007-2013 now being finalised.

My Department will lead in coordinating the preparation of this renewed strategy which will draw the range of relevant policies into a coherent framework, review progress and set directions for future action.

To oversee and guide this task I am setting up a High-Level Inter-Departmental Steering Group. Comhar, the National Council for Sustainable Development will also be supporting the process. Options for broader consultation, which will facilitate effective contributions by all stakeholders, are being examined.