The National Development Plan was created to develop Ireland's infrastructure to help invest the rewards from the economic success of the Celtic Tiger

National Development Plan (NDP) is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on (mainly) national infrastructure. The period covered by the seven year plan runs from 2000 to 2006. The main element to the original plan was the development of a national motorway network between the major cities in the Republic of Ireland. The upgrading of the rail network been a secondary scheme. Many local projects and extra government construction have been appended to the National Development Plan – with large signs being erected at any new government development – regardless as to whether that project was in the plan! This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Cartoon of the Celtic Tiger - the press media in Ireland use pictures of green striped tigers to symbolise or sometimes mock the Celtic Tiger The Celtic Tiger is a nickname for the Republic of Ireland during its period of rapid economic growth between the 1990s and 2001 or 2002. ... The Government (Irish: Rialtas) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A motorway (in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and some Commonwealth nations) is both a type of road and a classification. ... This is a list of the cities in Ireland, referring to those with a city charter. ...

Progress

Road network

Traffic crawls around the construction site of the Dublin Port tunnel on the N1/M1.

As of 2005 some progress has been made on the motorway network, though it is likely the network will not be complete until near the end of the decade. The M1 motorway from Dublin towards Belfast has been completed almost as far as the border with Northern Ireland as the Dundalk bypass was officially opened on 26th of September 2005(It did open for a few hours the previous day on order of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to assist in traffic flow as supporters of Tyrone were to travel to Croke Park for a Gaelic football final).Following statutory processes in Northern Ireland, a link onwards to Newry will be constructed later. Download high resolution version (864x635, 207 KB)This is an image I took myself using an Olympus C8080W digital camera. ... Download high resolution version (864x635, 207 KB)This is an image I took myself using an Olympus C8080W digital camera. ... The Boyne River Bridge, one of the main engineering features of the M1 motorway, crosses the River Boyne west of Drogheda. ... The Boyne River Bridge, one of the main engineering features of the M1 in Ireland, crosses the River Boyne west of Drogheda. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boyne River Bridge, one of the main engineering features of the M1 in Ireland, crosses the River Boyne west of Drogheda. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1...

The M7 motorway from Dublin to Limerick is complete to south of Portlaoise, with a bypass of Monasterevan having completed that section in late 2004. Construction should begin in 2005 on a link M7/M8 south of Portlaoise connecting to both the N7 road and N8 road to Cork. A section from Limerick to Nenagh towards Dublin is in planning, but has not yet been given a go-ahead. The N7 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, connecting Dublin to Limerick. ... Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of the Republic of Ireland. ... Portlaoise (older spelling Portlaoighise; former name Maryborough), is the county town of County Laois (formerly Queens County) in the midlands of the Republic of Ireland. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The M8 at Charing Cross in Glasgow The M8 runs under Sauchiehall Street and the Bridge to nowhere Kingston Bridge, looking eastward up the River Clyde The M8 is the busiest motorway in Scotland. ... The N7 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, connecting Dublin to Limerick. ... The N8 road is a National Primary Route in the Republic of Ireland, connecting Dublin with Cork, through the midlands and Golden Vale of Ireland. ... Cork (Corcaigh in Irish) is the second city of the Republic of Ireland. ... Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of the Republic of Ireland. ... Flag of Nenagh Nenagh (An tAonach in Irish) is the largest town in North Tipperary, Ireland, with a population in 2002 of 6,454. ...

The M4 motorway from Dublin towards Galway and the West of Ireland will shortly reach as far as the Midlands. The N11 road/M11 motorway south of Dublin to Wicklow and Wexford is also progressing. The M9 motorway project from Dublin to Waterford is currently in final planning stages and construction has been confirmed to start in the spring of 2007. The M4 motorway is a motorway in the UK, which links London and west Wales via Bristol. ... Galway (official Irish name: Gaillimh) is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland and capital of County Galway. ... The N11 is a major road in Ireland, running along the east side of Ireland from Dublin to Wexford. ... This page is about the M11 motorway in England. ... Wicklow (Cill Mhantáin in Irish) is a county on the east coast of Ireland, immediately south of Dublin. ... Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman) is the county town of County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland. ... The M9 motorway is a major motorway in Scotland. ... Waterford (Irish: Port Lairge) is, historically, the capital of County Waterford in Ireland, though today the city is administered separately from the county, the latter having its seat in Dungarvan. ...

Completion of the M50 motorway Dublin inner ringroad is part of the NDP also – this had been held up by legal proceedings over Carrickmines Castle, the foundations of which lie at the planned site of a motorway junction but the motorway is completed, with just this junction not accessible until completed in October/November 2005. The upgrade of parts of the M50 is due to be appended to the NDP. The M1 motorway Dublin port tunnel project is a major scheme involving tunnelling from the M1 north of the city centre, through to the Docklands to the east of the city centre. This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Carrickmines Castle is a controversial archeological site in County Dublin in eastern Ireland. ... The Boyne River Bridge, one of the main engineering features of the M1 in Ireland, crosses the River Boyne west of Drogheda. ... Dublin Port Tunnel Construction, 2004 The Dublin Port Tunnel (Tollán Calafoirt Bhaile Átha Cliath in Irish) is a landlocked road traffic tunnel in Dublin, Ireland (still under construction as of 2005). ...

See also: Roads in Ireland

A typical Irish road sign in Mullingar, County Westmeath Ireland, both north and south of the border, has an extensive network of roads. ...

Rail network

Almost all the operational rail network in the Republic has now been upgraded to continuous welded rail – however, much of this work commenced prior to the NDP as part of the Ontrack rail network upgrade program. Railroad or railway tracks are used on railways, which, together with railroad switches (points), guide trains without the need for steering. ... OnTrack is a Syracuse, New York commuter train line. ...

Dublin suburban routes have benefitted from large amounts of new rolling stock, in the form of suburban railcars. These operate north to Drogheda, northwest to Maynooth, southwest to Kildare and south to Arklow. The electrified section of the north-south route through Dublin has had extra EMUs brought into service. Dublin has also seen the opening of a new tram system, Luas. A railroad car (or, more briefly, car), also known as an item of rolling stock in British parlance, is a vehicle on a railroad or railway that is not a locomotive - one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ... Not to be confused with Railroad car. ... Drogheda (Droichead Átha in Irish, meaning Bridge of the Ford) is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. ... Maynooth (Maigh Nuad in Irish) is a town located in County Kildare, Ireland. ... Kildare (Irish: Cill Dara) is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. ... Arklow (An tInbhear Mór in Irish) is a historic town in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. ... A classic Belgian multiple unit of type 74 A multiple unit is a passenger train whose carriages have their own motors, either diesel (DMUs) or electric (EMUs), and do not need to be hauled by a locomotive. ... Luas (from the Irish for speed), also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, currently encompasses two unconnected on-street light rail lines in Dublin, Ireland. ...

Major projects undertaken were the upgrade of Heuston Station in Dublin to nine platforms and the new railcar servicing depot in Drogheda. Many other stations, particularly the Dublin suburban stations, have been upgraded and modernised, with elevators for example on new footbridges. Other measures to improve disabled access have been implemented, and park and ride facilities have been developed. Heuston Station, located in Dublin, Ireland is one of the countrys main railway stations, serving the south, southwest and west of Ireland. ... The word platform is used in several different contexts including various topics: In rail transport, a railway platform is an area at a train station to alight from/embark on trains or trams. ... a park-and-ride bus in Oxford Park and ride terminals are public transport stations that allow commuters to drive short distances in their personal automobiles to catch a ride on a bus or railroad system (usually classified as light rail or the heavier commuter rail). ...

Intercity travel has benefitted from new suburban railcars freeing up intercity rolling stock previously in use. 67 new carriages have also been ordered. Services have been increased on routes such as that from Limerick to Ennis. Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of the Republic of Ireland. ... Ennis (Irish: Inis) is the county town of Clare in the Republic of Ireland. ...

Planned developments include enhancing suburban rail in Cork, with a section of rail due to be reopened to Midleton, east of the city. Other projects under discussion, some or all of which are likely to be undertaken at some stage, include: Cork (Corcaigh in Irish) is the second city of the Republic of Ireland. ... Midleton is a town in south-eastern County Cork, in the Republic of Ireland. ...

• A railway line from Dublin to Navan.
• Developing a rail link to Dublin Airport (possibly as an underground Metro link).
• Opening a new city centre railway terminus for Sligo and western commuter services at Spencer Dock.
• Creating an underground "Interconnector" south from Spencer Dock to Pearse Station and west to Heuston Station.
• Reopening a Western Railway Corridor from Limerick to Sligo. Although in the medium term a partial reopening from Ennis to Athenry or Tuam is more likely as population levels north towards Sliog may not justify the costs.

See also: Rail transport in Ireland

Navan (An Uaimh in Irish, meaning The Cave) is the administrative town of County Meath, Ireland. ... Dublin International Airport (IATA Airport Code; DUB, ICAO Airport Code; EIDW) is Irelands main airport. ... Spencer Dock is a location in Dublin, Ireland. ... Pearse Station, located on Westland Row in the Southside in Dublin is a DART and Intercity railway station owned by Coras Iompair Eireann. ... Heuston Station, located in Dublin, Ireland is one of the countrys main railway stations, serving the south, southwest and west of Ireland. ... Map of the West of Ireland, showing the Western Rail Corridor and ex-GSWR line south of Limerick in green, other ex-MGWR lines are in red. ... Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of the Republic of Ireland. ... Sligo (Sligeach in Irish) is the county town of County Sligo in the Republic of Ireland. ... Rail services in Ireland are provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland, and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland. ...

Other developments

The national bus operator Bus Éireann's fleet has been significantly invested in, with most of the fleet now five years old or less. The company is now pursuing a policy similar to that of some car owners, retiring buses at a much younger age while still holding some value, and keeping front-end services modern. Bus Éireann, or Irish Bus, provides bus services in Ireland outside Dublin. ...

This is a particularly visible aspect of the NDP, many buses were up to 20 years old previously.

See also

• Transportation in Ireland

Most of the transport system in Ireland rests in public hands, both north and south of the border. ...

External Links

• Official website - National Development Plan