Ministers endorse national planning framework

Ministers insist they now believe the Cabinet’s national planning framework will help both rural and urban Ireland, despite failing to give any example of what last-minute changes have been made to ensure this will happen.

Rural Affairs Minister Michael Ring endorsed the €115bn, 22-year project at a hastily arranged press briefing at Government Buildings last night, after a special Cabinet meeting was held to address his and other rural members’ concerns.

Under draft plans released last September, which were heavily criticised for focusing on urban areas while ignoring rural Ireland, the Government said it intends to pump money into new projects across the country over the coming two decades.

The projects, due to be revealed in detail in two weeks, include:

• A second runway for Dublin Airport;
• M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick;
• Expansion of the Dart;
• Investment in regional airports and schools;
• Development of the National Children’s Hospital and National Maternity Hospital;
• New communications technology for gardaí;
• A rural regeneration and development fund which will see 50% go to areas outside urban cities.

The plan, and the linked €115bn national development plan, is being designed to cater for the fact Ireland’s population is expected to increase by 1m people by 2040, but has been criticised by TDs for ignoring rural Ireland.

Mr Ring had been one of the plan’s most vocal critics in recent weeks, but after the special Cabinet meeting yesterday, he said his concerns have been addressed.

However, he was repeatedly unable to say what exact improvements and alterations were made to the plan at the meeting.

“People want to live in rural Ireland, people want to see infrastructure in rural Ireland, people want jobs in rural Ireland, so what we have to do as a Government and in this plan is to make sure that the infrastructure is in rural Ireland,” said Mr Ring.

A number of Cabinet sources last night confirmed that yesterday’s meeting did not see any additional projects discussed.

Describing yesterday’s meeting as a “final check” of the plan before its publication, one minister said they could recall “nothing of substance” changing.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people attended a meeting in Athlone last night to voice concerns over the alleged lack of investment in rural areas and concerns the issue will be repeated in the plan.

The meeting was attended by Labour TD Alan Kelly, Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, and other opposition TDs, who claimed the document is flawed.

Fianna Fáil housing spokesman and Offaly TD Barry Cowen voiced similar concerns.

He told the Irish Examiner: “It’s very unfortunate to have to say it but the Government has already made a dog’s dinner out of the plan.

“It’s all very well planning for Ireland’s needs in urban areas for 2040, but it should not be instead of or at the neglect of rural Ireland. There has to be less detachment from reality.”