Healthcare tops priority list in survey on National Plan

The planning process, availability of childcare and the increased presence of foreign workers have emerged as issues of least concern to the public, according to research published by the Government.

The research, part of a survey of public perceptions of the National Development Plan, gave 1,500 respondents an opportunity to list their priorities on a range of issues which had employment, environmental or social implications. The findings showed that most were concerned with crime, drug abuse and the health service.

The next most important issues were improved roads, infrastructure and waste management, while the lower priorities included tourism and agriculture, which ranked alongside culture, coastal protection, ecommerce, Traveller education and refugee support.

The research revealed that 65 per cent of the public had never heard of the Government's plans for Public Private Partnerships, which will run the metro, Luas and the proposed toll motorways. Of the 35 per cent who were familiar with the term, most admitted not knowing what it meant.

Of the National Development Plan, only one in five of those surveyed mentioned it spontaneously as a Government plan. However, when asked specifically about naming Government plans, the recognition level rose to almost 50 per cent. "When explained, three-quarters felt that it was a good idea, with [people from] less developed regions the most supportive", noted the researchers, Drury Research.

Drury interviewed respondents across the State for the survey, asking them first to identify the issues which mattered and then to qualify them on a scale of importance. More than 30 issues were identified as "important", with healthcare being identified as the most important by 95 per cent of the sample.

Refugee support was lowest, with only 66 people believing that it was important, but the report cautioned: "Although refugee support may appear at the bottom of the list in terms of prioritising the issues, 66 per cent said that it was an important issue within the NDP."

While planning issues were at the bottom end of the priorities, four of the top seven matters of concern relate to the environment. These include water pollution, waste management, litter and care of the environment.

The research also suggests that people in the Republic are more concerned with local issues and relate to national issues via their local concerns - for example, public transport.

Bad news for the Department of Finance is the perception by more than half the sample that the National Development Plan is mostly funded by Europe. In fact, the plan, which is costed at about £41 billion at 1999 prices, is to receive only 10 per cent funding from the EU. About £1.85 billion is to come from the private sector and the remainder from the Exchequer.

Despite this, the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Martin Cullen, declared himself well satisfied with the findings of the survey.

According to Mr Cullen, the priorities identified by the respondents mirrored the areas targeted by the National Development Plan. "When the detail of the plan was explained, there was broad support for it, with over three-quarters agreeing that it was a good idea."