Finlay’s argument bolsters begrudgery

Fergus Finlay gives a fairy tale analogy of how best to spend the taxpayer’s money on in his article “It’s investment in human capital we need not €6bn in capital projects” (Irish Examiner, October 6).

His synopsis of the government’s new capital plan is somewhat populist and idealistic. For instance, I fully support the plan to build a bypass in Macroom. Anyone that does not support this project has surely never endured the bumper-to-bumper tailback of traffic through the town on a Friday evening. It is infuriating and unnecessary. Therefore, I do not agree with Finlay in believing that this project is paltry and a waste.

Of course, I would love to see primary school children get free books but one cannot compare roads and books. They are separate financial investments; the road infrastructure is of primary importance to some and free school material to others, but we cannot put them side by side and assume more in one means less in the other.

To do so results in an over analysis of where government expenditure is allocated and forces citizens to begrudge investment decisions that do not suit their predictions.

Garry O’Sullivan

Ballinagree

Macroom

Co Cork