Over €750 million extra funding will have been invested in economic and social infrastructure under the National Development Plan by the end of the year, the Minister for Finance said today.
Speaking at the first joint meeting of the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly, Minister McCreevy said the implementation of the NDP was on target and over €10 billion was being invested in economic and social infrastructure.
"Significantly the Exchequer by the end of 2002 will have provided over €750 million more than originally promised in the process of making up for funding shortfalls from other sources," he said.
While commending the performances to date of the various agencies in the rollout of the NDP, Mr McCreevy said: "It is vital, however, especially in an environment of comparatively high cost increases, that all implementing agencies keep their project management processes under continuous scrutiny to ensure maximum value for money and output."
The challenge now, the Minister said, was to maintain the momentum over the next five years.
He acknowledged the change in economic conditions since the NDP was drawn up said it was still relevant. What was important now was to place the focus not just on expenditure but on the return for that investment.