Will 27 Billion Capital Plan Aid Rural Ireland?

The announcement from the Government that they are to spend 27 billion Euro on capital projects over the next five years might seem a marvellous boost to the economy at first viewing but when you actually study what has been announced there is not a lot new to be too excited about. The National Children’s Hospital has been included in the plan and that’s the fifth time that this project has been announced. I see where road projects such as Tuam to Gort, and the Moycullen by-pass are also included and those projects are almost completed. I have said before that the miniscule amount of 30 million Euro for rural towns and villages is a drop in the ocean and I wonder when the Government are going to realise that the so called economic recovery is not happening in many of our small towns and villages. We need to see where this money will be spent in terms of issues like broadband, jobs, improved health services and agriculture. The fact that there is an election around the corner has a lot to do with yesterday’s announcement.