Leading economist urges public sector cost-cutting

A leading Irish economist has said that the Government has no option but to implement systematic cost-cutting in the public service in next week’s budget, stating that “in the current circumstances we have no option but to cut our cloth to match our means”.

Addressing the Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Member in Industry conference, Charles Larkin of Trinity College Dublin’s Department of Economics said that one specific area that must be addressed by the Minister for Finance is civil and public sector pensions.