‘This is really a pittance’

“I am disappointed with the increase in child benefit. That’s another election promise broken,” says Rosemary McKeown.

A back-to-work mother who advises the unemployed in Dundalk, she also believes the 6 social welfare increase is a "pittance".

"In Dundalk, there are many lone parents, there are people from various areas, there's unemployment and while there's a good buzz in the town, there are a lot of people on social welfare. There are also a lot of foreigners who are on the breadline.

"To give them 6 is very little. It hardly covers inflation and with the price of clothing and food etc, this is really a pittance."

And for many on low income and social welfare, the fact is there are those who smoke.

The increase in the price of cigarettes, while welcome on health grounds, means those who smoke will be substantially worse off.

But Rosemary praised Charlie McCreevy for his public relations, claiming his warnings of a real hair-shirt Budget meant what he delivered did not appear as bad.

"I am happy it's not as bad as we were led to believe. It was not the big hair shirt. It was very good PR by Charlie McCreevy and company," said Rosemary, a welfare officer on a community employment scheme at the Dundalk Unemployed Resource Centre.

But she added: "I am disappointed with the increase in social welfare and child benefit and the fact there appears to be nothing for childcare."

The lack of movement on medical cards failing to raise income eligibility or to extend the scheme to all children was also criticised by Rosemary.

"There are people that can now not afford to go the GP. People are going to get sick and say: 'I'll take two Paracetemol.'"