This Budget has hit middle and low income families’ incomes. The less money people have in their pockets the less they have to spend. Michael Noonan says that some cuts are a matter of choice, for many the choices will be about basics such as eating or heat? For young people with disabilities we are further driving them into a life of dependence. For elderly we have left them struggling to afford to heat their homes to a safe level.
So many of the more vulnerable are left wanting after this Budget. The budget was un-imaginative and not radical. It was against human rights and unfair. It was against reform. It lacks a job package that will get Ireland back working. The property tax is the start of a new tax, double next year than based on property values. An extra 2% vat will put pressure on business and also limit our spending. The bad news is we have at least another three tough budgets. How will ordinary people manage three more years of working class cuts?
