NDP (2007-2013) launched

[Donal Quinn]

Bertie's speech at launch of new NDP
maybe this should go in the election section(!)

plan is available now on www.ndp.ie
executive summary is 68 pages long!

Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern T.D.
at the Launch of the
National Development Plan: 2007-2013

Dublin Castle, Tuesday, 23 January 2007

Introduction

Today is an occasion of no small significance as we set important foundations for the next phase of our country's development. There is no doubt that this National Development Plan, Transforming Ireland ? A Better Quality of Life for All, represents another milestone on what has been an extraordinary journey of sustained national achievement and during which time it has been my great privilege to serve as an active participant in our vibrant public life, not least of course in my capacity as Taoiseach.

While today is not a day to dwell on the past, the dramatic extent of our progress, both economic and social, warrants appropriate acknowledgement and informs the level of ambition we set for ourselves as we look to the future.

It is perhaps too easily overlooked that, in the short space of only two decades, we have escaped an invidious legacy of involuntary emigration, joblessness, inflation and high taxation ? while effectively doubling to well over two million the number of people now engaged in productive employment. This transformation has delivered the standing we now enjoy as a dynamic, prosperous and high-participation economy at the very vanguard of the globalisation era; a location offering unrivalled attractiveness to investor and worker alike; and a success story which continues to unfold as both a model for others and the envy of our international peers.

It is no exaggeration to assert that we are at a point in our national history where we have never been able to see more clearly the possibility of our full potential. And we should aim to settle for nothing less.

Investing in Our Future

It is clear that success brings with it new challenges and opportunities. But it is success also which equips us with the capacity and resolve to meet these new challenges and opportunities most effectively. That is why, today, we are launching a plan involving some €184 billion - a scale of investment for the next seven years that is without precedent.

But unprecedented as it is, this investment is also essential to help us meet emerging challenges. We will continue to build on the substantial progress we are making in delivering a quality of physical infrastructure that is appropriate to our evolving twenty-first century needs. In recent years we have seen remarkable progress, particularly in transport infrastructure. Whether it is the LUAS, the DART upgrade, improvements in inter-city train services, the Port Tunnel, or progress in creating motorways and dual-carriageways linking Dublin and the regions, the evidence is plain.

Over the next seven years, we will build on that evidence. Completion of the primary routes, the M50 upgrade, the Atlantic Corridor, the Western Rail Corridor, the Metro and extension of the LUAS network are just some of the elements of our exciting but necessary Transport 21 programme.

This new National Development Plan will also see a new deployment of resources in supporting the productive capacity of our enterprise sector, equipping it to compete effectively in an increasingly knowledge-intensive and interconnected global economy. At a point in our national development where future prosperity has never been more dependent on unlocking the talents of each and every citizen, we are reinforcing the emphasis on skills and training to ensure adaptability to the accelerated change we face.

Value for Money

The ambition driving this plan builds also, of course, on the significant progress that we have made in strengthening our capacity for the delivery of national infrastructure in terms of time and cost. Management of all programmes and projects will be subject to the enhanced "value-for-money" frameworks now in place, including measurement and appraisal of performance by reference to clear output indicators.

The cumulative impact of these measures is clearly one of improved management of public capital programmes, as recognised by the ESRI and others, leading to most projects now coming in within budget and ahead of schedule - reflected not least in the delivery of the national roads programme overseen by the NRA. This pursuit of value for money for the taxpayer will continue to be a top priority throughout the lifetime of this plan, and Minister Cowen will no doubt elaborate further on this point.

Interdependence of economic and social aims.

This unprecedented level of investment in our future is also anchored in a new and unequivocal emphasis on supporting sustainable improvements to our quality of life. Key to this sustainability will be the deepening appreciation of the strong interdependence between our social, economic and environmental goals, while agreeing our national priorities in the light of what is of greatest importance to us over the longer term.

It is this perspective which informs the groundbreaking 10-year framework agreement we concluded with the social partners last year in Towards 2016. And it is this constructive, participatory and problem-solving approach to managing change which will guide the ambitious range of investments we are now undertaking - set in the context of our agreed national frameworks for balanced regional development, all-island co-operation, and the protection of the environment.

In this context, this National Development Plan places more emphasis on social investment than ever before. I want to emphasise that almost half of the overall spend under this plan is earmarked for social infrastructure and social inclusion priorities, strengthening our capacity to adjust from the old to the new, while ensuring that those most vulnerable in society to the pressures of change are appropriately supported and protected.

More than €33.6 billion is earmarked for developing our social infrastructure across a range of areas including housing; hospitals; primary care facilities, particularly for our older people; sports and cultural facilities; and the Gardaí.

In addition, to tackle social exclusion, over €50 billion will be invested in childcare, education, services for people with a disability, home and community healthcare, integration of newcomers to Ireland and community development.

In parallel, we will ensure that resources are targeted on the most disadvantaged urban, rural, Gaeltacht and Island communities.

Our new social policy framework is based on careful analysis by the National Economic and Social Council and endorsed by the social partners in Towards 2016. This plan, and the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion which will be published next month, provide a roadmap of investment priorities to flesh-out a new approach, based on people's needs at each stage of their lifecycle. This will enable us to help children reach their true potential; provide support to people of working age since employment provides the main path out of poverty; and support older people to maintain a comfortable and high-quality standard of living.

Our approach recognises that economic and social progress do not just complement each other ? they depend on each other. For example, helping people back into work reduces poverty and sustains economic growth. That is why we have set a target of helping 50,000 people from long-term social welfare into education, training and employment.

The achievement of these goals will require service delivery that is accessible, flexible and focused on the needs of the individual. This focus on delivery requires an openness to change and requires Departments and organisations to work together effectively to overcome traditional barriers to co-operation. We will work to implement our social policy framework in this way, again ensuring value for the money invested under this plan.

North/South Co-Operation

The publication of this plan comes at a pivotal moment in the history of relationships on our island.

Since the Good Friday Agreement, we have seen a transformation of society in Northern Ireland and an unprecedented period of economic and social progress in the Republic. It is no coincidence that with peace has come prosperity and a better society.

Peace and reconciliation remain at the centre of the Government's strategies and policies for the future. This Plan will help us to the next stage on that journey.

It sets out a comprehensive overview of all-island co-operation.

And for the first time, it sets out proposals for significant investment in new North/South projects. These will benefit every single person living on this island.

We are looking to the future. As we move away from the horrors and conflict of the past, we want to make this island a better place to live for the generations to come.

We want to do so in partnership and in agreement with the British Government and a restored Northern Ireland Executive. We will show, yet again, that democratic politics works for all of the people.

Concluding Remarks

I said at the outset that today is an occasion of no small significance. I hope that, when you see the full scale of what is encompassed by this plan, you will recognise the validity of this viewpoint and see that we are genuinely on a mission to transform Ireland and deliver a better quality of life for all.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

ENDS

[Thomas J Stamp]

Downloading it and checking it out tonight.

[Donal Quinn]

bertie

Over the next seven years, we will build on that evidence. Completion of the primary routes, the M50 upgrade, the Atlantic Corridor, the Western Rail Corridor, the Metro and extension of the LUAS network are just some of the elements of our exciting but necessary Transport 21 programme.

interconnector interconnector interconnector!

From the exec summary

Public Transport: 13 billion with the objective to switch from car use to public transport, particularly in Dublin. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) will account for 5.17 billion of this investment;

uh-oh - 5.17bn of PPP's - what's this about?

from the complete text
priority is

To deliver a radically upgraded public transport system in line with the timetable in Transport 21
especially in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), but with significant impacts in other areas;

role of Dept of Finance

All the projects included in Transport 21 must comply with the Department of Finance Capital Appraisal and Value for Money Guidelines, as outlined in Chapter 12 of this Plan.

Public Transport Sub-Programme
Under the Public Transport Sub-Programme, just under \13.0 billion will be invested over the period of
the Plan.
The NDP 2000-2006 saw the first concentrated investment programme in public transport. It has led to a significant increase in public transport capacity including enhanced DART and Rail capacity as well as the
new LUAS light rail system in Dublin. It has also funded the complete renewal of our national rail network and the upgrading and expansion of our bus fleets. A major further step-up in public transport investment
is required in this plan. Accordingly, a massive increase in public transport investment is the centrepiece of Transport 21. The objective is to promote a switch from car usage to public transport. This is necessary
to promote efficiency, quality of life, competitiveness and environmental sustainability. A particular focus of the monitoring arrangements referred to in Chapter 13 will be to measure the increase in public transport
capacity, use and changes in modal split.

Greater Dublin Area (GDA)
The bulk of the public transport investment will be in the Greater Dublin Area. Projections show that there will be in the order of 300,000 more people living in the Dublin area by 2011. Already the city is suffering
from bad congestion at peak times. It is simply unsustainable environmentally and otherwise to rely on the car and the bus network alone to provide the answer.

What is required is a complete transformation in the public transport network in the GDA. Accordingly, over the period of Plan 2007-2013, the following projects will be advanced in line with the timetable in Transport 21:
• Completion of the Metro North line from city centre to Swords via Dublin Airport;
• Phased development of the Metro West line;
• Enhancement and extension of the LUAS network;
• Expansion of the capacity of the suburban rail network through city-centre resignalling, quadrupling of track on the Kildare line and re-opening of the Dublin to Navan rail link;
• Commencement of the Heuston Docklands Interconnector and the electrification of section of the Dublin suburban rail network;
• Significant expansion of the bus fleet and bus priority;
• the introduction in the Plan of a fully integrated, customer-friendly, smart card ticketing system in the GDA, facilitating the use of different transport modes (bus, LUAS, DART, Irish Rail etc) in single journeys;
• Construction of additional park and ride facilities;
• The mainstreaming of accessibility across all modes of public transport, in line with the Department of Transport’s Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act, 2006; and
• Development of enhanced cycling and walking facilities.
A significant element of the Plan investment in GDA public transport will be funded by PPPs. This will involve additional current spending by the Exchequer over the long term as the costs of the PPP funding are
recouped to the PPP provider. This additional cost should, however, be fully justified as the capital city will have an integrated public transport network which will enhance its competitiveness and help ensure its
position as a leading international urban metropolis.

The scale of Exchequer investment in Transport 21 requires revised structural arrangements to give more effective, efficient, coherent and integrated transport in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The preparation of
legislation to establish a Dublin Transport Authority with overall responsibility for surface transport in the GDA is at an advanced stage.

Public Transport Investment outside the GDA
The rest of the country also has a substantial need for upgrading of public transport infrastructure. The Plan will, therefore, also encompass:
• A major focus on the provision of enhanced rail services, including either hourly/two hourly services on the principal intercity routes serviced by modern rolling stock;
• The phased re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Claremorris;
• \90 million for the Rural Transport Initiative;
• New commuter rail services in Cork and Galway; and
• Upgrading public transport services in provincial cities and in the regions, including additional buses, new bus priority measures and new park and ride sites.

well at least it says the interconnector will start being worked on before 2013...

more mentions of PPPs -which projects..?

[Mark Gleeson]

Well the previous NDP promised we would have a metro to the Airport by now so its not as if its all happening

[Thomas J Stamp]

Read half of it tonight.

Rail Proposals are in the following areas:

Pg 30, costs of Transport at 32 billion Euro.

Pg 38, role of the RPA: no mention of IE's role (interconnector). Note that they are relying of Heathrow Terminal 5 people for costsings. PPP: "Similar
resources are being employed for other Metro and Luas projects as required" so all Metro and LUAS (perhaps interconnector) can be PPP.

Note in relation to costings:

"Project level costs will, however, be kept under continuing review in the context of the rollout of the
investment programme. The indicative 7 year allocation for NDP capital investment is in current prices and
the various programmes and projects will have to be delivered within that allocation. (my emphasis)"

Note further:

"It will be absolutely crucial therefore that in the selection of projects priority is given to the
promotion of the key Plan goals notably sustainable growth and competitiveness, regional development in
line with the template of the National Spatial Strategy, environmental sustainability and the All-Island
dimension. (emphasis mine)"

So, those who have said that the WRC -v- Navan is not a compitition for the same slice of financial cake are wrong, there is the potential for it, MoT take note.

Whiter the interconnector as well? Maybe.

Saving grace is the mention of Land Use programmes, and of the relaistion that transport initiatives such as rail are bones, pointless without the meat of Social infrastructre.

However, later in the plan there is still reference made to 10,300 Civil Servants being decentralised, 8 departments going out of Dublin at top level and 58 (count 'em) towns benifiting - all in the same document that claims to support the NSS.

However, somehow, on page 131 they mention that 10,500 Civil Servants have applied to move. This is true, but spin. EG, Mrs TJS has applied to move from Nenagh to Thurles - she is one of the 10,500.

Lastly for today, have a gaze at the maps on pages 262 and 263. Firstly, no athlone Mullingar raillink (not mentioned anywhere in the plan as far as I've seen so far) and the GDA one is the same as before - with the Lucan LUAS heading down Dame Street and up Westmoreland Street.

[Donal Quinn]

this Tom O'Brien guy is really not on the ball

in his article on Page 11 of today's IT

work is to be substantially completed on the Heuston to Connolly underground interconnector

and in his article on the benefits for commuters he doesn't mention the interconnector at all

I really think that it is P11's role to clue in people like this...

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Donalq

this Tom O'Brien guy is really not on the ball

in his article on Page 11 of today's IT


and in his article on the benefits for commuters he doesn't mention the interconnector at all

I really think that it is P11's role to clue in people like this...

We're not going to do that, they know we exist, if they want to get an independant view of these things they can come to us and read threads like this.

We will be putting out a press release on it when we're finished reading and anaysing it.

What is really interesting is the element of PPP funding in the transport element of the new NDP, nothing next year, rising to €1.3billion, and falling to €330 million all within the timescale of the plan.

Logically, if the major projects (Metro, LUAS) are PPP (and assuming that part of this money is also for Road/Air/Sea) then they wont start till 2008 and will be substantially completed by 2013.

Given the delays to the current LUAS extensions that is being very optimistic indeed.

[comcor]

But don't think nothing's happening.

We're going to see
-4 more announcements of the Midleton line
-the sod turning on the Midleton project
-the reopening of Midleton Station
-the opening of Carrigtohill Station
-the unveiling of the trains for the Midleton line
-the opening of the Midleton line
-the official opening of the Midleton line

That's a lot of things for a government to do in 2 years.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Donalq

this Tom O'Brien guy is really not on the ball

in his article on Page 11 of today's IT


and in his article on the benefits for commuters he doesn't mention the interconnector at all

I really think that it is P11's role to clue in people like this...

I read the article and in fairness to him, he was actually talking about what would be completed during the timeframe of the new NDP, 2007 to 2014. The interconnector is not due to open during those years thus he just made reference to it being substancially completed.