John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 9: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has studied the Western Development Commission's submission to the National Development Plan 2007-2013; and if he has had consultations with the Department of Finance regarding the priorities for the rural areas in the forthcoming plan. [36898/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Western Development Commission (WDC) was consulted by the Department of Finance regarding the new National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 and submitted a very detailed and useful document in this regard highlighting a number of key issues. Officials from that Department also met with representatives of the WDC earlier in the year to discuss their submission.

With regard to my own Department, officials have had a number of high-level discussions with the Department of Finance regarding the new Plan and the programmes and measures that will be included in it.

In this context, the Deputy should also note that an Inter-Departmental Group, chaired by my Department, was established earlier this year to prepare a draft chapter on the development of the rural economy for inclusion in the new Plan. The Group sought to identify the main challenges specific to the rural economy in Ireland and the issues critical to its future development. It also considered existing and planned sectoral measures from across Departments that will significantly support or impact on the rural economy.

The proposed chapter will reflect many of the key issues highlighted by the WDC in their submission. I understand that the new NDP is now being finalised by the Department of Finance and will be published in January 2007.