11.12.2007
The strong commitment of the Tánaiste and Finance Minister in today’s Budget to maintain the ambitious targets of the new 2007-2013 National Development Plan, and to allocate €2.7 billion next year to major infrastructure projects, including the vital inter-urban routes, was warmly welcomed today by the Director General of Engineers Ireland, John Power.
Mr. Power said that it was “particularly heartening that with all the talk of the economic downturn, Brian Cowen has repeated his commitment to the full delivery of the 2007-2013 NDP as his and the Government’s top priority”.
Mr. Power said that “only last week the National Competitiveness Council report showed that Ireland’s economic competitiveness had weakened in recent years. In that context the modernising of our infrastructure is absolutely critical. In a recent submission to the Department of Transport, Engineers Ireland highlighted the increased congestion costs faced by industry here, in terms of issues like rising delivery costs and disrupted work and staff schedules”.
And he urged the Minister and the Government to be even more ambitious in speeding up the key infrastructural projects in the NDP. “With the slow down in the housing sector, boosting expenditure to the maximum on vital infrastructure will not only improve Ireland’s competitiveness, but it will also boost employment and tax revenues for the Government”.
Engineers Ireland also welcomed the increased capital investment to almost €300 million in 2008 at Centres for Engineering, Science and Technology, and Minister Cowen’s promise that R&D, innovation management, and collaborative effort between industry and the third-level sector will attract "significant support" from the Government.
A recent report published jointly by Engineers Ireland and the Irish Academy of Engineering called “Engineering A Knowledge Island”, identified the need for a major increase in the number of Engineering and IT graduates if Ireland was to become a leading global economy.
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Related contacts
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Engineers Ireland,
22 Clyde Road
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Ireland
Tel +353 (0)1 668 4341
Fax +353 (0)1 668 5508 |
Engineers Ireland Info Email
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Source: Engineers Ireland Website - 06/12/07 |
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