It’s hoped the government’s new jobs initiative will improved roads throughout County Clare
An additional 2.58 million euro allocation was announced for Clare as part of the jobs package last evening.
The funding is aimed at restoring and maintaining the county’s 4,000 kilometre non national road network following last winter’s severe weather.
The Mayor of Clare Cllr Christy Curtin has welcomed the additional funding however he feels it won’t go far enough.
and Clare government representatives say there’s further good news for the local economy and job creation in the county, particularly in the tourism initiatives announced by the government.
Among these is the end of the air travel tax – which was seen as a factor in the decline of flights from Shannon last year, and the new 9% vat rate for tourism related activities.
Scarriff Labour TD Michael McNamara believes the reduced rate will make a big difference locally.
Meanwhile the government has defended its decision to raid the 1.8 billion euro from private pension funds to pay for the jobs plan.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan believes the pension funds industry could absorb the new levy- however Fianna Fail says its amounts to a smash and grab raid on savings that many people have accrued over years.
The party’s spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Financial Sector Reform – Michael McGrath – says thousands of pensioners will have their pensions reduced as a result:
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