The government says 45,000 jobs will be created under its major new capital spending plan for the next six years.
Total spending worth €27 billion is outlined in the plan, marking an increase of around €2 billion based on previous projections - leading to claims that the package is a pre-election stunt.
The package marks an increase of around €2 billion to €3 billion on what would have otherwise been spent - including increases of €200 million for next year, and €250 million for the year after.
Chief among the projects is a revived Metro North link between the airport and Dublin city - although the planning process will now need to begin from scratch, meaning construction won't begin until 2021 and finish until 2026-27.
That delay - and the fact that much of the spending was anticipated anyway - has forced
the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, to deny that the plan is a mere pre-election stunt:
Three-quarters of the money will go on projects outside Dublin, including on a series of major road projects including:
- The N5 between Westport and Turlough
- The N22 between Ballybourney to Macroom
- The N8-N25 Dunkettle Interchange project
- The M11 Gorey-Enniscorthy road
- Bypasses of Galway, Adare, Slane, New Ross, Sallins, Moycullen
However, there was no sign of a much-anticipated motorway between Cork and Limerick - a matter that transport minister Paschal Donohoe was forced to defend on The Last Word this evening:
The resopnse from interest groups has been generally positive.
The Construction Industry Federation says it's a much needed investment; the older people's charity ALONE has welcomed the 300m funding for state nursing homes, and the IFA says the funding for broadband schemes will address a digital divide.
The major concerns have been raised by the opposition - with Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald pouring cold water on a pre-election announcement that summarises projects in the pipeline already:
The Taoiseach also today denied reports that he could be set to call an early election, with polling on November 20.
But, as it happens, the odds on an early election were slashed earlier - having begun the day at 5/1, bookies now offer odds of 4/5 of a poll in November, suggesting they now believe an early election is more likely than not.
