Public transport projects delayed

OVER a dozen planned public transport projects have been postponed as a result of cutbacks totalling more than €500 million introduced by the Government since last October’s budget.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said savings announced in yesterday’s supplementary budget would inevitably lead to delays in some projects because he had been forced to cut his department’s spending budget for 2009 by e315m.

The latest cutbacks come on top of a further e182m in savings arising out of the Government’s decision in February to introduce a package of measures to reduce costs through savings on pay, advertising, PR, consultancies and professional fees.