Groups have their cut at McCarthy report

Groups have their cut at McCarthy


Anton McNulty

IF Colm McCarthy was expecting a backlash following the publications of his proposals of  €5.3bn in spending cuts he was not disappointed, particularly in the west where his recommendations angered a number of groups.
His proposals were described as an attack on the west and and the economics of Dublin 4 destroying the fabric of rural life. One project which economists have called to be scrapped on a number of occasions was the Western Rail Corridor and was one of the McCarthy’s recommendations.

Western Rail Corridor
Colman Ó Raghallaigh of West-on-Track said he was not surprised to see the Western Rail Corridor in the report but defended the project’s cost and viability. He said the line will deliver thousands of jobs in private sector companies, and highlighted the fact that McCarthy had been critical of the Luas before it was built.
“It is disappointing but not surprising that Mr McCarthy chose to go outside of his remit in order to recommend that the Western Rail Corridor should not proceed. In the summer of 2008 he made his now infamous attack on the project on the Marian Finucane Show when he stated that the people in the West should be thrown a few hundred million and be let squabble among themselves as to whether they want their ‘toy railway’ or a proper road from Dublin.
“Mr McCarthy’s longstanding antipathy towards rail transport is best illustrated by the fact that he conducted a similar media campaign against the opening of the Luas in Dublin which he predicted would fail miserably. The first phase of the Western Rail Corridor will open this September. To date the project continues to represent the best value for money, mile for mile, in the whole Transport 21 envelope.” he said.

Farming
The farmers also had a snipe over his recommendations to cuts in agriculture spending with IFA President Padraig Walsh stating that they indicate a clear collaboration between the authors of the report and the Department of Agriculture, who have already ‘unilaterally imposed most of the recommended cuts on the hard pressed farming sector’.
“What Colm McCarthy has done is Dublin 4 economics. All of the people on that board are living in Dublin and there is not one of them knows how the rural economy works, how the engine of this economy keeps them all in their jobs in Dublin,” he said.

Town councils
The recommendations to get rid of Town Councils around the country was criticised by long-term Westport town Councillor, Margaret Adams who felt it would be a retrograde step.
“As a long-term town councillor I have seen the value of Town Councils and I have seen how towns without them have not progressed as much. Councillors have the best of the town at heart and I can’t see the advantage or savings of scrapping them. I feel Westport would be ruined if it was run by the County Council because instead of nine representatives it will end up with one or two councillors looking after the town. It is no good fixing something that isn’t broke,” she said.