Investing in road construction wasteful

For years the Government has been telling us that ‘investing’ in road-building will bring prosperity to Ireland.

So how come Ireland is in a state of economic collapse, despite spending up to €10bn a year on roads for the last 20 years?

An investment is supposed to produce a return, but road building just results in further costs in maintenance, accidents, pollution and policing, etc.

Spending a massive 10% of GDP on roads has bankrupted us, yet the NRA is planning to build roads to cater for a doubling of traffic volumes over a 20-year period. Where is the money coming from? As it is, 62% of oil products (petrol, diesel etc.) are used for transport.

In the context of the increasing use of renewables for other sectors, this percentage would increase to 87% were this NRA prediction achievable.

They refuse to confront the consequences of declining oil production, increased costs, and possible shortages, not to mention Ireland’s commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

“As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11).

Michael Job

Glengarriff

Co Cork