Belfast is to get a rapid rail scheme, and Northern Ireland will get about 50 new orrefurbished school buildings as a part of a £2 billion sterling cash injection into itseconomy.
Finance Minister Mr Ian Pearson confirmed today more than 100 projects were tobenefit from a Strategic Investment Programme negotiated last year by theprevious devolved government with the British Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Gordon Brown.
The programme boosts the North's ability to address infrastructure problemsin health, education and other public services quickly.
Among the projects receiving funding are:
- A pilot rapid light transit rail system running from east Belfast into thecity centre, similar to the Dart network which run in Dublin.
- The provision of new buildings and refurbishment of about 50 primary,post-primary, integrated and special schools throughout Northern Ireland.
- A new acute hospital in the south-west of the province to be announced nextweek by Northern Ireland Office Health Minister Mr Des Browne.
- The construction of two new fire stations in Antrim and Carrickfergus, therefurbishment of four existing stations and the provision of new fire enginesand equipment enabling firefighters to deal with deliberate chemical andbiological leaks.
- Several projects upgrading waste water treatment, water mains and sewerageservices aimed at addressing the £3 billion backlog in the province.Announcing the projects at Belfast City Hospital, Mr Pearson confirmed aStrategic Investment Board would also be formed under the charge of Mr Andy Carty,a member of the management team of Partnerships UK.
As interim chief executive of the board, Mr Carty would pull together a "smallteam of experts" to assess how priority projects should be funded.
The minister explained: "For projects to the value of some £800 million, theStrategic Investment Board will advise on how best to proceed. For a further£785 million of strategic programmes and projects, we expect to be able toproceed by public-private partnerships and there are projects to the value of£550 million which are well advanced to proceed using conventional capitalprocurement.
"The Strategic Investment Programme means a new way of harnessing andchannelling resources to serve the public.
"It does not mean any dilution of the role or responsibility of departmentalministers - either now or when devolution is restored - for setting prioritiesin their own sectors.
Funding for the projects is to come in the form of low interests loans fromthe Treasury, locally raised revenue and also from private sector funds.
Mr Pearson said the two main aims of the programme were to deliver "modern,first rate and accessible" public services and value for money.
He defended the use of private sector cash, insisting the Government was notgiving it "any privilege or pre-eminence".
"The only reason why it needs to be involved is so that we can secureservices for the public and good value for taxpayers' money," the ministersaid.
PA