Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 5:00pm

Smith confident on Cavan plans

Minister Brendan Smith.

Flagship projects such as the Belturbet bypass and the planned construction of new school buildings in the county are included in the government's seven-year capital investment plan, says Minister for Agriculture and Cavan/Monaghan TD, Brendan Smith.

He described the €39 billion capital investment plan unveiled by Taoiseach, Brian Cowen on Monday, as being a major stimulus to the economy. "It will allow for the largest ever school building programme that is benefiting all parts of County Cavan to continue and actually be enhanced. It will also allow for major flagship infrastructure projects such at the N3 Belturbet bypass, which is going to tender, to proceed to construction.

"As well as delivering new public facilities for the people of Cavan over the next seven years, the spin-off in terms of construction jobs for the local economy will be very considerable," stated Minister Smith.

However, Cavan/Monaghan Fine Gael Deputy, Seymour Crawford, claims that it is too early yet to say what projects will go ahead and which will not.

"With a €1 billion less in the capital programme, there will be less people employed and this is the most serious aspect," said Mr. Crawford.

He also claimed that the Green Party is now having an inordinate influence on government policy as evidenced by the fact that most of the major projects were proceeding in the Dublin area, while those in the rest of the country were postponed including the Navan rail link and the programme of decentralisation.

The Cavan/Monaghan Fine Gael TD further claimed that Fianna Fáil were fully aware that it cost more to live in rural Ireland than in Dublin.

"The two main areas I would worry about from the infrastructural point of view are whether or not the Belturbet bypass will go ahead and what moves forward there will be on the Monaghan town to Aughnacloy road," he said.

The Taoiseach launched the seven-year capital investment plan on Monday with the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan and the Minister for Environment, John Gormley.

Mr. Cowen accepted that spending on the seven-year plan would be substantially less than the previous seven year plan, the National Development Plan 2007 to 2013. The plan envisaged €75 billion of capital spending almost twice the amount announced in yesterday's plan.

Prioritised under the new plan are the Metro North, the Dart underground and the new single campus for DIT at Grangegorman. Put on hold are the Navan railway line, the Western rail corridor and Government decentralisation.

Mr. Cowen said that the plan has the potential to create 270,000 jobs, as well as 30,000 construction jobs annually.