Government spending and deficit rising

WHAT austerity measures? What cutbacks?

Excluding debt service costs, Exchequer figures to the end of June show an actual increase of almost €1 billion (from €19.6bn to €20.5bn) in government day-to-day spending over the same period last year.

Likewise, when you look behind the massaged figures you find that our deficit actually grew by over €300 million.

This makes government claims to be on target for a €6bn adjustment this year, simply delusional.

The Government is busy tinkering with the margins while refusing to tackle the €20bn public pay and the €20bn welfare bill.

Unless these big ticket items are brought back to European norms we have no hope of regaining competitiveness or reducing our fiscal deficit.

Dick Keane

Glenageary

Co Dublin