No cutbacks, Mr Cowen? Tell that to Patrick Walsh’s grieving family

So, who’s living in the real Ireland where protocol of a kind deems a man should die rather than unravel red tape?

During the week Finance Minister Brian Cowen declared to the world, but specifically to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that “we’re not in cutback country yet”.

Aren’t we? Mr Cowen must have been in denial when he rejected suggestions that he would introduce cutbacks in December’s budget to ease concerns raised by the IMF.