Opposition criticises recovery blueprint

THERE is no painless, shortcut, silver bullet way out of the recession, Taoiseach Brian Cowen warned yesterday as the opposition sharply criticised his new framework for economic recovery.

The new blueprint for a “smart economy” and a “green economy” was launched at Dublin Castle yesterday, but Mr Cowen admitted that 90% of what it contained has already been planned or announced by the Government.

Fine Gael dismissed it as “putting old clothes on new hangers with fancy names” while the Labour party said the framework was “a bad cover version of an old tune”.