D-DAY

DEVASTATING welfare cuts and more taxes on the poorly paid are likely to be passed through the Dáil after the Government shored up support from independents and backbench TDs to pave the way for what’s expected to be one of the harshest ever budgets.

Following last-minute horse trading with independents — Jackie Healy Rae of Kerry South and Michael Lowry of Tipperary North — the Government said it is “confident but not complacent” it will hold its thin Dáil majority of two to push through €6 billion in cuts and tax hikes.

It’s the first installment of €15bn of total cuts that will be imposed over the next four years and will be closely watched by the EU and IMF who said Ireland must “rigorously implement the budget for 2011” as a condition for its €85bn bailout package announced last week.