Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1792: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether having environmentally attractive and well managed urban areas is a key factor in international competitiveness. [43730/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is generally recognised that cities and urban areas can make a major contribution to the achievement of the objectives of the EU's renewed Lisbon Strategy, which focuses on attaining increased growth and competitiveness, higher productivity and employment, and strengthened social cohesion, in a general context of balanced regional development and sustainability.

A range of factors influence the economic performance and competitiveness of cities, their capacity to attract geographically mobile activities and skilled workers, and to support innovation and entrepeneurship. These include the availability and quality of educational, healthcare and other social services, the scope of cultural and recreational amenities, transport services and infrastructure, the quality of the natural and built environment, and governance performance.

The National Development Plan 2007-2013 sets out the economic and social investment priorities needed to support the continued development of a competitive and internationalised economy which will deliver high quality sustainable employment in a regionally balanced manner. This plan, though its wide range of initiatives and proposed investments, seeks to ensure that the Gateways and Hubs identified under the National Spatial Strategy has the capacity to deliver growth and drive the social, economic and physical development of their wider regions in an environmentally sustainable manner.