No choice over budget cuts, says advisory body

The Government had no choice other than to make huge budget cuts over the past six years, according to the head of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.

“The Government had no choice but to do the budgetary adjustment as a default would have occurred otherwise,” said John McHale.

Speaking at the launch of IFAC’s seventh Fiscal Assessment Report, Prof McHale said it was not the role of the council to advise on the best policy mix needed to reduce the budget deficit below the 3% target agreed with the troika.