'Charlie Cancels Christmas’

Young Fine Gael conducted a carol service today outside the Department of Finance in honour of the depressing budget to be announced later by the Minister.

"Budget Day, Budget Day,

Cutting all the way,

No extension of medical cards,

You’ll really have to pay!" sang the crowd of Young Fine Gaelers to the tune of Jingle Bells.

"Charlie McCreevy is determined to ignore the growing injustice towards the disadvantaged in this country. The Government have had every opportunity to make life better for all our people and this budget is the icing on the Christmas Cake," said Mark Finan, dressed in a Scrooge costume outside the Department.

"Champagne Charlie has squandered 4-and-a-half years of the Celtic Tiger surplus and what are we left with, longer waiting times in hospitals, poor infrastructure resulting in increased casualties on the roads, an education system that excludes the disadvantaged and traffic chaos on our city streets. This Government has lost our surplus and this is why we are left with no surprises in this budget," added Georgina Robinson, Young Fine Gael Executive.