‘Savings’ will be used to fund rising welfare bill

THE Government will have to make “savings” across a range of areas to meet the increased social welfare bill caused by rising unemployment, Taoiseach Brian Cowen admitted yesterday.

“We are setting out to work within the budget spending limits we have set ourselves and ensure that, with the extra costs there will now be as a result of rising unemployment — greater than predicted — we will find savings in other areas to deal with it,” Mr Cowen said. “That is what we and any responsible Government must do.”

The Opposition, however, wasted no time in pointing out that “savings” was a euphemism for cutbacks, and accused Mr Cowen of “blowing the boom.”