The Budget announcement shows that the Labour Party sold us a pup at the last election and can be assured that every old dog, (the grey vote), will not forget those failed promises.

The commemorative wall, engraved with the names of over 1,100 Waterford men who died serving with the British Forces in the First World War, should be copied in other Irish cities and towns.

As a result of the budget, a 22-year-old graduate on a JobsBridge would have to work for 23 years to earn what Enda Kenny does in a year. The graduate would work for 102 years to make what Richie Boucher (CEO of Bank of Ireland) does in a year.

It is right and fitting that Michael Collins be honoured in the military barracks that bears his noble name. Michael Collins was an outstanding Irishman, a true and tragic hero.

This horrible budget promotes inequality — giving to the banks and the wealthy, while taking from the vulnerable and needy.

When we lose a loved one we need to grieve and then we try to move on. We have grieved the demise of the Celtic Tiger long enough, it is time to move on.

The budget carefully sidelined the issue of the bank losses for last year which were €5.96bn between AIB and Bank of Ireland alone. Next year’s losses will tell if austerity is working or if this country will crawl back to the EU for more money. The Government thinks it can exit the bailout programme, but it is not certain by any means and it could be a rocky road after that.

We had a referendum to abolish the Seanad. Why not one to abolish our Government?

Since it is beyond question that a child’s ultimate educational attainment is primarily formed while in primary school, and the per capita resources are continually shrinking, the now-acknowledged huge increase in births, in recent years, should cause alarm bells to ring.

On RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland on Oct 11, Fr Fintan Monahan, secretary of the Archdiocese of Tuam, announced the introduction of laydeacons due to the priest shortage.