Begg: Ireland cannot pay debts despite revised bailout

The General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions David Begg has said Ireland will not be able to pay its debts, even under the terms of the revised bailout deal worked out in Brussels last week.

Mr Begg said the programme of austerity being pursued by the Government is "driving down economic growth" and making Ireland's debts "even more unsustainable".

Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, the ICTU chief said politicians needed to realise that cutting services and higher taxes "would not generate the revenue needed to pay back debt".

He said that while tough decisions have to be made, they should not involve "further cuts".