Opposition accuses Taoiseach of penalising the low-paid

BRIAN COWEN was accused of scapegoating the low-paid last night as he warned the Dáil he would force through a €1.4 billion raid on pension payments.

In a big test of the Taoiseach’s leadership, Mr Cowen scrambled to regain the political initiative with an emergency Dáil statement after the collapse of the social partnership talks.

Mr Cowen told TDs he had no choice but to push ahead with €2bn worth of spending cuts agreed by the cabinet, which would see public sector workers bear the brunt of the pain.