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.