Fine Gael: The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, yesterday called for a radical review of the National Development Plan in order to re-prioritise major infrastructure projects.
Speaking at a parliamentary party meeting in Killarney, Mr Kenny said massive resources were being wasted on projects due to bad planning and knee-jerk policy decisions.
The Fine Gael leader said the controversy over the Luas and the Red Cow roundabout was an example of wasted investment and a shortsighted approach to the country's infrastructure needs.
It was clear Dublin would be better off with a metro, rather than an expensive light-rail system which would inevitably cause traffic chaos because of bad planning.
Mr Kenny said the need to have proper transport infrastructure was underlined by the expansion of the European Union, which would increase competition for foreign direct investment. "We're deluding ourselves," he said. "In short, the entire National Development Plan needs to be radically overhauled to see what projects we can prioritise."
Mr Kenny also called for changes to the management of the National Pension Reserve Fund which, he said, should be used to fund infrastructure projects.
"We have had the bizarre situation where the Government is borrowing money in order to transfer this to a pension fund to gamble on foreign equities.
"The State has to play a serious role in planning for the future, but playing the markets based on borrowed money is not the prescription," he said.
The party also discussed a number of "priority" areas when the Dáil resumes at the end of September, including demands for action on insurance reform and measures to identify traders who are "ripping off" customers.
In a separate development, Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr John Deasy, called for the age limit for entry into the Garda Síochána to be increased from 26 to 35 years.
Mr Deasy said he did not see any reason why the age limit was so low, and the force could benefit from more experienced recruits.
