Opposition attacks Budget

OPPOSITION parties yesterday began a more robust attack on Finance Minister Brian Cowen’s first Budget, after a comparatively muted response on Budget Day.

And Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, in his first detailed response to the Budget, again referred to himself as a left-winger. He told RTÉ: “The other socialists would wreck the economy. They like high taxes. They like to wreck business and they like to go after businesses as if there’s something evil about them.

“My view is that I like people who create wealth and I like people who pay their taxes on that wealth because that allows me to help people who need their help,” he said.