Cut overseas aid and arts funding, say public

THE toughest budget in Irish history tomorrow should deliver the highest cuts to overseas aid, arts and sport, according to a poll of the Irish Examiner’s online readers.

More than 1,000 people responded to the pre-budget survey over 10 days up to last Thursday, which asked a range of questions about the areas they feel should be protected or targeted in Finance Minister Brian Lenihan’s swingeing mix of spending cuts and tax hikes.

Just over half the participants chose overseas aid as one of the three areas in which the level of cuts should be highest, followed by the arts (46.2%) and sport (32.7%). Other spending which found weak public support were environmental schemes (25% think they should be hit hardest), child benefit (20%), help for the unemployed (19%), Gardaí and Defence Forces (18.7%) and personal taxation (18.4%).