State to invest in North under new plan

The Government's new National Development Plan will see investment by the Government on specific infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland and a new phase of highway development between the Republic's regional cities.

The National Development Plan 2007-2013, which is to be launched in Dublin Castle on January 23rd, will also focus infrastructure spending on "growth gateways" which have been identified by the National Spatial Strategy.

It will also contain measures and funding to "environmentally proof" new developments in transport, building, energy and agriculture.

Writing in the Irish News yesterday, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the Republic's development plan will for the first time include proposals agreed with the British government and the new executive in Belfast for significant new investment in North/South projects.

These include key aspects of infrastructure, education, science and innovation, tourism and regional development.

While the Taoiseach was not specific, The Irish Times has learned the plan will include financial support for Derry Airport, a cross-Border project to reopen the Ulster Canal, and the development of a Dundalk/ Newry "metropolis".

Additional funding for North/ South bodies such as Waterways Ireland, the Food Safety Board, Intertrade Ireland and tourism development will also be provided.

Another area of cross-Border co-operation is to be in waste water infrastructure, building on arrangements which already exist between Letterkenny and Derry.

In the South a new phase of road building will begin in earnest when the current phase of inter-urban motorways between Dublin and the regional cities is complete in 2010. The new phase will concentrate on improved roads between the regional cities themselves.

In addition to the "Atlantic corridor" linking Sligo, Galway, Limerick and Cork, this phase will feature spending on cross-country links such as Dundalk /Kells/ Mullingar. Energy is to be another key chapter of the forthcoming National Development Plan, with investment in the national grid to facilitate connections from private generation companies and the renewable energy sector.

Speaking at the inaugural consultative forum on recycling in Dublin yesterday, Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said the Government intended to direct resources for development to the gateways identified under the National Spatial Strategy.

Mr Roche has previously said he would not provide services such as roads and sewerage for new developments outside these areas and last year rejected the draft county development plan for Portlaoise, because it exceeded development targets.

Mr Roche said developing Dundalk and Newry as cross-Border growth centres made a lot of sense.