I'm not surprised that Minister Dempsey isn't exactly shouting about the fact that the change will happen in September, as it will surely draw attention to the huge waste of money involved.

Once the roads to Dublin are finished it now looks increasingly unlikely that other projects on the drawing board will happen for years, if ever.

The Government has said that it remains committed to spending on vital infrastructure projects that will enhance our future competitiveness but in reality that are doing exactly the opposite.

The proposed new bridge over the Lee was scuppered last week when the Gateway Innovation Fund was cancelled effectively killing Cork's Docklands project which wasn't going to get tax breaks anyway.

Then you have places like Macroom or New Ross choking with traffic, these bypasses wont happen either. And as for road and rail links between Cork, Limerick and Galway.. forget it.

Despite all the bad news an economic slump does present some opportunities, not least when it comes to public infrastructure. The struggling construction industry will price jobs much more keenly than during good times and competition will be fiercer.

Borrowing now to deliver proper transport infrastructure, school buildings and social housing would put Ireland in a much stronger position when the downturn does come to an end. And it call all be done much more cheaply and quickly than it could when better circumstances return.

It's a no brainier, but it seems some people at least have no brains. As the fiasco with the motorway re-designation shows, these people haven't clue what they are doing and can only be relied upon to do the wrong thing.

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