Semi-state sector - Rejuvenate rather than sell services

ONE of the very few rewards for being in opposition is that you can make proposals on a truly grand scale without having to be too explicit about how they might work. This freedom energises imaginations and facilitates a radical approach.

Yesterday, Fine Gael launched proposals which are the result of refining a plan published last March. The party focussed on our second-rate infrastructure – water, broadband, energy – and also suggested a new model for healthcare. Fine Gael also proposes reducing Oireachtas membership by 30%.

Described by Enda Kenny as an “€18bn investment over four years to make Ireland competitive again while creating over 100,000 jobs”, it is ambitious and timely.