People must pay heavy price, says FG

OPPOSITION parties yesterday attacked Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy, accusing him of forcing ordinary people to pay for the Government’s election spending splurge.

In a day of fierce Dáil debate over the Budget, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the minister was trying to hide his mismanagement of the public finances through stealth taxes.

"Fianna Fáil and the PDs used and abused the public purse the people's money to bankroll their political survival.

"And last night the finance minister revealed how they, the people with no power, have been chosen to pay for it all."

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the finance minister had sought to conceal the full extent of the savage impact on living standards by going for stealth taxes and indirect taxes.

"Language has no meaning for ministers McCreevy and Harney, as families are hit at every turn and they prattle on about on about being fair.

"The Taoiseach joins them in the other mantra about all this pain being due to world conditions," Mr Rabbitte said.

"It is due to no such thing. It is due to the mismanagement of the public finances deliberately engaged by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste Harney, and Minister McCreevy in order to win the election."

Mr McCreevy responded to the criticism on radio yesterday by arguing that sound management of the public finances was essential at this stage.

Tánaiste Mary Harney also said that overall it was a balanced and responsible budget.

In the Dáil, Social Welfare Minister Mary Coughlan said that the Government's commitment to protecting the weak and vulnerable in society was illustrated in the Budget.

"This Government is delivering an additional 833 million in social welfare spending next year, bringing the projected level of spending to over 10 billion for the first time," Ms Coughlan.

However, Green Party finance spokesman Dan Boyle said that Mr McCreevy was presiding over the Enronisation of the economy.

Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said that the Budget represented one of the greatest frauds and swindles which was ever perpetrated against an Irish electorate.

He said this year's Budget followed five years of squandered opportunities by Mr McCreevy.