Change policy from economic growth to economic and social development
20 Jul 2006
Government Conference on New NDP
The new National Development Plan must radically change direction from the pursuit of economic growth - to end mass unemployment and emigration - to one of economic and social development, Paul Sweeney, Economic Advisor to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, said at the Government conference on the proposed Plan today.
Congress has three major priorities under the new NDP.
- Switch investment in physical infrastructure to public transport, with the emphasis on integrated well funded urban transport.
- Investment in up-skilling the existing workforce, with the emphasis on those who have had least educational and training opportunities.
- Investment childcare and eldercare.
Sweeney said that the new NDP must be based on three foundation stones - a) sustainable development, b) fairness and equity, and c) encouraging greater demographic balance. Congress believes that the spend on new NDP should be considerably increased over the current NDP, with most monies being spent in the event of a downturn.