Former Labour leader Brendan Howlin defends party's decisions during economic crash

Mr Howlin, who was minister for public expenditure at the time, claimed if Labour had not gone into government with Fine Gael, the leading party would have made more drastic cuts and people would have been hit much harder

Brendan Howlin: 'A lot of people were hurt, there is no doubt about that and there is no escaping that but would it have been wiser and would it have been better for working people for us to stand away?' Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Labour TD Brendan Howlin has said he has no regrets about the decisions taken in 2011 when the country struggled to claw its way out of the financial crisis.

Mr Howlin, who was minister for public expenditure at the time, said while he understood those who say Labour turned its back on the working class at this time of austerity measures, this perception is "totally wrong".