Ministers fight plans to curb their spending

MINISTERS are furious over radical proposals that would lead to significant curbs in their Departments' spending.

The Economic Social and Research Institute yesterday published its controversial recommendations for the second half of the six-year National Development Plan.

The State think-tank suggested containing further capital spending on hospital beds, school buildings and railways. In addition, it recommended the introduction of urban congestion charges for motorists, the abolition of incentives for holiday homes, and the replacement of the eight proposed regional waste treatment plants with two or three larger national plants.