Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on the projects and schemes to be administered by his Department under the National Development Plan 2007 to 2013; the way these schemes will be funded outside of money already pledged in the Budget and Estimates processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7692/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) is a strategic document setting out a broad investment framework and investment priorities, together with indicative financial allocations, for the next seven years. It does not contain a list of all projects to be undertaken in 2007, or indeed over the period of the NDP, although certain Chapters, including those on Regional Development, Economic Infrastructure and Social Infrastructure, refer to projects scheduled for delivery or progression between now and the end of 2013.

My Department will be involved in the delivery of a range of programmes within the following priority areas:

Enterprise, Science and Innovation

Rural, Social and Economic Development Programme

Gaeltacht and Islands Development Programme

Social Infrastructure

Waterways Sub-programme

Social Inclusion

Local and Community Development Programme

My Department will also have an important role in relation to the horizontal themes of Development of the Rural Economy and All-Island Co-operation identified in the NDP.

The majority of the expenditure under the aforementioned programmes will consist of a mix of current and capital support for locally initiated projects, which are important but of a relatively small-scale in a national context.

In terms of larger-scale projects, work is under way to explore the possibility of restoring the Ulster Canal to provide a major inland waterway for the border region. Under the Islands Sub-programme, resources will be concentrated on a flagship project, which is expected to commence in 2007, to implement major improvements to the piers and harbours of the three Aran Islands.

There are currently no plans to fund any of the above programmes through other sources such as Public Private Partnership mechanisms or user charges. In the case of the Údarás na Gaeltachta sub-programme, details of own resources utilised by an tÚdarás are set out in Appendix 3 to the Revised Estimate Volume and in the annual Agency Statement for the body included in that Volume.