Big spender

I MUST concur with Mark Steele (Letters, October 12) when he says Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has “lost the plot”.

However, this isn’t a recent occurrence. I recall Mr Dempsey describe €150 million as “pocket change” a number of years ago, back in the days when we “were the envy of Europe” and “the country was awash with money”.

I remember thinking then if this was his attitude to the public purse, then we were headed inevitably to our present position — the one where “we are where we are” and we must “go forward” from here, “turning corners” as we go.