Send for the IMF

OUR clueless politicians are surprised that the figures are worse than expected. Unless they were trapped on Mars for the past two years they would know that the fiscal gap to be closed is €20bn (not €7.5bn or €10.3bn).

Factoring in economic growth is pure wishful thinking.

With an income of €30bn it’s simply not possible to spend €20bn on public pay and €20bn on social welfare. €10bn is the very most we can spend on each of these big ticket items.

This leaves just €10bn for all other public expenditure, including the growing billions to service our runaway national debt.

We should use the last gasp of our sovereignty to invite the IMF to sort out the mess.

Dick Keane

Glenageary

Co Dublin