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EXPANDED DART SERVICES, a second airport runway and a firm commitment to the M20 motorway.
These are just some of the projects the government discussed today at the special Cabinet meeting on the National Development Capital Plan and the National Planning Framework (NPF).
The NPF, which is due to be published in the coming weeks, is basically the government’s long-term plan for what Ireland should be like in about twenty years time.
It seeks to answer questions like: Where will we live? Where will we work? And how will we get around?
The investment and infrastructure priorities in the development plan for the next ten years are closely aligned with the objectives of the new NPF.
A lot of the items mentioned in the plan have been mooted for some time now, or are already contained in the programme for government.
According to government sources, the plan contains “a firm commitment to the M20 from Limerick to Cork“.
This 80 kilometre stretch of road will be a new direct route between Cork and Limerick, and linking in with Galway also.
The Taoiseach said previously the new motorway will link the three big cities which he said is important for balanced regional development.
The framework also signs off on a second runway for Dublin Airport. DAA has been pushing for a new €320 million runway which it says is necessary to develop the airport into an international travel hub.
Speaking in the Dáil last week, the Taoiseach said the Cabinet agreed to support the plan, adding that he hopes work can start within months.
While Dublin Airport will get a boost in investment, so will other air links around the country with the ‘Regional Airports Programme‘, which is also highlighted in the plan.
The working document for regional airports that runs to 2019, states that regional airports are viewed as being important because of a level of international connectivity that they bring to a region for tourism and business.
The government views this connectivity as a significant contributory factor underpinning Ireland’s economic recovery and sustainable development into the future.
The plan also commits to the DART Expansion Programme which will focus on additional fleet and extending the electrified Dart system on both the Northern rail line to Balbriggan and the Maynooth line.
There will also be further investment in the primary and post-primary school building programme, investment following the hospital bed capacity review, with key project delivery commitments on the National Children’s Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital.
Government sources state there will be investment in the technological universities, in Ireland’s cultural and heritage sites, as well as the Garda ICT systems (something that has been flagged previously by the former Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald).
The plan is also intended to achieve a step-change in Ireland’s response to climate action goals.
All in all, the capital plan up to 2027 requires total public Investment (from the Exchequer & State Owned Enterprise) of around €115 billion.
The total Exchequer investment is estimated at €90 billion, with an additional non-Exchequer investment of about €25 billion by commercial State Owned Enterprises.
One key aspect for future planning for some TDs is the inclusion of a ‘Rural Regeneration and Development Fund’ which Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring is understood to have negotiated with Finance and Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe over numerous meetings.
While details are still being withheld until the planning framework publication, it is understood the fund will allow for investment in infrastructure projects and schemes for rural towns.
Many rural TDs argue that the NPF leaves rural Ireland behind and is too “Dublin-centric”.
Christina Finn / TwitterMinister Michael Ring says people will be happy with new national planning framework plan pic.twitter.com/Twcr7kCLQq
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) February 5, 2018
Can’t view the video, click here.
Despite stating on the airwaves earlier today that he had concerns about an initial draft plan, Minister Ring told reporters a short time ago that he is now “very happy” with the current plan as it stands.
He acknowledged that “it can’t be one for everyone in the audience”. Ring added the plan will improve the lives of those in rural Ireland.
“The whole country will be looked after. I am quite happy now that what is in the plan will help the north-west, the west and other parts of the country as well,” he told reporters a short time ago.
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Doin’ it for themselves. Sounds about right for Irish politicians. They are not doing it for you and I. Self serving, over paid and motivated to maintain the status quo.
@David Nolan: I’d give them a chance to prove your theory.
@David Nolan: Top comment! Got a laugh from it!
@Peter McGlynn: look how the Kingsmill bread moron was treated, they should have kicked him out right away. Politicians? Always look after their own first. Such a shame.
@David Nolan:
Mary Lou said ‘the war is long over. Wrong – there never was a war. There was a terrorist campaign in which YOUR LOT murdered IRISH children , women and men including Gardai and Prison Officers. Admittedly you were not a member then but you have repeatedly defended those, including Adams, who have blood on their hands. Until you condemn those killings your party will not grow here in the South. Euphemisms simply won’t do.
@Donal Hanley: that’s funny, because British soldiers that did a tour of duty in Northern Ireland receive a medal, and on the back of that medal there is an inscription that says “for campaign service”, that sounds like a war medal to me.
@Andrew Giles:
I just looked up campaign in the dictionary. Strangely ‘war’ is not mentioned.
The campaign was protecting the citizens in NI & GB from terrorists. Like your new deputy leader your education seriously inadequate.
@Donal Hanley: “Mary Lou said ‘the war is long over. Wrong – there never was a war.”
Soldiers carryig out massacres, ethnic cleansing, murder gangs, bombings?
Sounds a lot like a war to me.
What year were you born Donal?
@The Risen:
Now define a terrorist campaign genius.
@The Risen: Nope, sounds like a terrorist campaign to me, driven front and centre by the Provo’s.
@Donal Hanley: care to name an irish child that the ira killed??
@F. Wood:
Look up Omagh bombing
@Donal Hanley: Look up who carried out the Omagh bombing.
@Donal Hanley: Your ignorance is astounding.
@The Risen:
I don’t differentiate between your different designation. You’re all the same – same rotten origins.
@Donal Hanley: A “Protestant State for British Protestants in Ireland ” as define by the leader of that State in the 1970s! Thats is the ultimate terrorism rotten to the core ‘Evil Empire’.
@Donal Hanley: my deputy leader, hahaha you know absolutely nothing about me, the reason I know what it says on the back of that medal, is that my father was given one
Before any party members comment on social media regarding this event, per yesterday’s executive order, it is mandatory that you observe party policy of clearing it with HQ first.
Thank you.
@alphanautica: ha!
@alphanautica:
You will find that would be every party’s policy to go through press office
@Fran Kembo: whoosh
@alphanautica: only 9 hours before you posted this bs you stated you were bored with sf stories yet here you are….did your shift start at 7?..is .frape room double time for Sunday?..
@alphanautica: He hasn’t gone away you know.
@Henry Matthews: Its a bit early for tears Henry :-)
@Honeybadger197: hi alpha…
It’s surprising to be elected when you are the only candidate!!
@Rory:
How do you find that surprising if she was and is the best candidate for leader why would you oppose her
@Fran Kembo: rubbish comment and you know it
Interesting to watch this new Dawn and see Sinn Fein grow and grow while Fianna Fail fade away into Fine Gael where they rightfully belong.
@Paul Mc: The deluded addressing the deluded.
@Paul Mc: a new dawn, where they can follow the route of the PD’s, Labour and thr Greens by going into govt with FF or FG, riding the gravy train for a few years, betraying their support bsse and get swallowed up, disappearing into relative oblivion
@Paul Mc: Grow and grow? Do tell.
@JimmyMc: That certainly won’t happen the the Sinn Fein membership would not allow it .
@MK76: while I would love to see a viable alternative to fffg, I think SF will actually become less relevant when they are seen as just an equality party, rather than the edge that their demographic voted for (ie killers with a back story, parading as anti establishment). Let’s put this to the test in the next election in Louth when mlmd is the canvasser instead of Adams.
The growth of the party frightening the be jaysus outta Mehole and Leo ;)
The attacks by the media and FG shills on here in overtime…
Winds of change can’t be stopped..
@Willy Malone: Mary Loo will be calling Mehole “Boss” in no time. Reduced to a big beautiful shinner mudflap!
@The Risen: Oh look, my little impersonator is back LOL!
By the way, I’m wearing blue jeans and a red short sleeve shirt if you want to go the whole hog.
@The Risen: same muppet as yesterday?
As she said make it fit for purpose. So people down the years criticising SF were correct.
I met Mary Lou in Tuam, along with survivors of the home. Her empathy was palpible. She also has great commitment to social advancement. I wish her all the best and to the day when she will be Taoiseach of a united, socially-advanced and peaceful Ireland.
@Niall Conneely: nearly all politicians are impressive and empathetic when you meet them. Unfortunately, that is the front they all have. For a united Ireland, we need people like SF to be more open that they have not been in 40 years to the population of Northern Ireland. Similarly, for a peaceful island we need to stop electing people who have orchestrated the violence in the first place.
@Gulliver Foyle: we dont elect people who orchestrated the violence. The ira in the north emerged as a result of loyalists ethnically cleansing belfast and nationalists being murdered on a daily basis with no help from the police. As for transparency and being open with citizens why wont fg support the sf initiative of a truth comission?
A new dawn for Sinn Féin. It will be interesting to watch.
@john Appleseed: It will be equally as interesting to watch how the establishment react. For a long time there have been calls for Adams to step down if the party wanted to progress. There’s a lot of work to be done to shape the party into a viable alternative to the merry-go-round of FF/FG.
The reaction of the media will also be interesting and most telling.
@Dave Doyle: or if Sinn Fein change in any way
@john Appleseed:
Whatever about Mary Lou will somebody please tell me how the BLAND Bombshell is educationally qualified for her role?
@john Appleseed: New dawn indeed — in fact new dawn is much like the old dawn. And what i mean by old dawn is exactly the same… if there was to be a new dawn then like every other party there would be a leadership contest – contesting leadership is a hallmark of democracy as it shows differing views within a party with the membership deciding on a certain direction…… only one direction SF is going and now they have a more palatable figurehead.
He hasn’t gone away you know!
Mary Lou -Michelle-Arlene-Theresa May and Caroline Bradley-Its definitely Women Power now.
@TheBluffmaster2: all useless.
@Keith D’Arcy: I suppose it would be too much to ask that they would knock their heads together and sort the Northern question.
@TheBluffmaster2: ya but I don’t hear any feminists congratulating them or claiming their achievements. Most feminists just like to revere the ones that shout the loudest about change, they seem to ignore the women that don’t have time to shout about feminism because they are living it
A significant moment no doubt. Will the opposition now react with the change required? Namely the formal amalgamation of FF and FG into one party. The time is now to apply pressure to ensure this comes to pass. Mary Lou could help drive this forward. The biggest mistake Sinn Fein can make is prop up one of these Labour style and facilitate FFG controlling both government and opposition benches.
Fair play to the Shinners this party rejuvenation has been at least a decade in the making. Imagine what the ruling juntas could have achieved if they had the vision and backbone to stick at anything.
I wonder where she learned the “Tiocfaidh ar la!
We had an female minister for justice and Garda Commissioner.
How did gender equality work out there ?
Ffs
Will there be a Wolfe Tones cover version any time soon?
Different faces but same ol SF hypocrisy.
Did they fire off their kalashnikovs into the air and shout Mary Lou Akbar?
Two songs come to mind, “Single Girls (Put A Sock In It)” by Beyonce and “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Pauper.
As a former Fianna Failer Mary Lou is the ideal choice to lead the shinners into coalition with the Blueshirts, where they can sell out their voters and pay for it later, ala so-called Labour-not a principled bone between them, and plenty of shadowy figures still pulling nasty nasty strings!
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