Joined-up thinking on how to spend €3.8bn

It is almost a year since the Government launched its capital plan covering 2016 to 2021. The plan received a broad if cautious welcome at the time, though the focus of attention soon switched to the budget.

Under the plan, an exchequer spend of €27bn on capital projects up to 2021 ranging from broadband to flood defences and including an extension of the Wild Atlantic Way and preparation work on the Metro North scheme was committed to.

A further €14.5bn is to be made available by commercial semi-states companies such as the ESB and Ervia (formerly Bord Gáis). So what has happened in the intervening period?