Is it really worth the cost?

YOUR editorial (MoS, Feb. 18) concludes that the Ireland 2040 plan is worthy but asks whether it can be delivered.

I think that question can be answered very simply: no. Consider just one aspect of the plan, a metro link from Dublin Airport: this idea has been around for years and years, repeatedly floated by ministers from a range of governments, yet nothing has been done. It seems to be nothing more than a handy way of grabbing some headlines and some positive press.

Also, massive infrastructure spending is not automatically a good thing. The metro link is to cost €3bn, which economist Colm McCarthy says is ‘the largest investment project ever proposed in this country’.

We would want to be very, very sure that it’s worth it before we cough up. Perhaps in this case, a failure to deliver would be the best outcome. Aidan O’Malley, Dublin 3.