Government plan for cuts approved despite criticism

THE Government’s spending cuts plan has been approved by the Dáil despite continued criticism of the way the crisis is being handled.

TDs voted 79 to 62 in support of the “consolidation of expenditure” programme announced on Wednesday amid opposition claims that the plan to trim spending by €440 million by year’s end was ill-targeted and insufficient.

Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton accused Taoiseach Brian Cowen of ignoring all the signs of the trouble the economy was now in.