FF left the country like ‘famine victims of old’

The Coalition defended its budget saying it was designed to minimise austerity despite introducing more cuts to maternity benefit and limiting medical card eligibility.

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said it would be the last budget under the troika programme after Fianna Fáil had left the country like the famine victims of old.

The Labour minister announced a revised public service reform plan which will see the embargo on workers in frontline services such as health and education temporarily lifted.