FG rejects middle-class budget bias claim

Junior finance minister Patrick O’Donovan has rejected claims that Fine Gael’s budget plans are too focussed on middle-class voters key to the party’s future election success.

Mr O’Donovan denied the claim as Fianna Fáil again called for universal social charge cuts to be prioritised over tax band changes in order to ensure people with lower incomes benefit from the October 10 budget.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics programme as Independent Alliance TD Seán Canney separately said rural transport improvements and potential insurance cuts for people driving customers home from rural pubs should be considered, Mr O’Donovan insisted Fine Gael is trying to help all of society in the budget.