Varadkar: Budget will make us 'even more unpopular'

Thursday, December 06, 2012 - 09:29 AM

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has admitted that yesterday's Budget will make the Coalition "even more unpopular than we already are".

He also hit out at Labour backbenchers who have expressed dissatisfaction with the Budget, saying that says there is nothing to be served by attempts to unravel the proposals to boost their party or their reputation.

Minister Varadkar said that the Budget is not an à la carte menu for TDs to decide on and that the issues are bigger than party politics.

"I don't think there's anything to be served or anything to be served for anyone in the country in a competition between Fine Gael and Labour or backbenchers trying to unravel it or do things to boost their party or their reputation," he said.

"No politician could ever want to bring in a Budget like this. It's going to make us even more unpopular than we already are, but we're doing it because it's necessary."





Yesterday's measures have also come under fire from the Opposition.

Fianna Fáil said that low and middle income earners have been hit hardest, while Sinn Féin said that it will take more money from those who have nothing left to give.

We tracked all of the Budget 2013 announcements in our live blog here.