Tasc calls for additional €15bn in capital spending

Tasc has called on the Government to use proceeds from the planned sale of the State’s banking shares to pump €42bn of funding into public infrastructure projects over the next six years.

The left-wing think-tank is advocating the €15bn top-up on the Government’s recently announced €27bn capital investment plan be approved to deliver “desperately needed” infrastructure after years of under-investment.

Chairman of Tasc’s economists’ network, Paul Sweeney, said the extra spend would be justified given that capital investment fell to its lowest level in decades in recent years.