Sir, - The Government has conducted some public research on the subject of the National Development Plan and Minister Martin Cullen declares himself well satisfied with the result.
And why wouldn't he? A whopping 65 per cent of the people have no idea what a public-private partnership is and more than half the people think that Europe is paying for the whole thing. In other words the vast majority of people in Ireland have no idea that the current Government is in the process of lining the pockets of a lucky coterie of companies who will get exclusive franchises to build and operate all the infrastructure that this country needs, most notably new roads which will be toll operated.
As we speak, the National Roads Authority, to whom the Government has "outsourced" all these messy decisions concerning tolls and motorways, is signing off on exactly how much money we will be charged to use the new roads and exactly how many millions the private element of the public private partnerships will make out of the deal.
Taxpayers are paying on the double. Their taxes (not the Germans), are being used to build the roads and then they will be charged every time they want to use the road. In the meantime, motorway routes are being selected on the basis of how cheaply they can be built regardless of how many thousands of acres of rural Ireland are destroyed in the process.
The priority at all times is the "private" not the "public".
And there is hardly a whisper of protest. No one has a clue.
Well done Minister. Sir Humphrey would be proud. - Yours, etc.,
Sarah Carey, Smithfield Village, Dublin 7.