IMF budgetary advice - Impending cuts must be applied fairly

A new culture of convenience has emerged in Irish politics with the coming of the IMF.

As one of the troika paymasters, the International Monetary Fund regularly flexes its political muscle and calls the tune.

In its latest review of the Irish economy, the agency proposes means-testing child benefit payments and cutting the cost of medical cards as part of a “comprehensive targeting of spending” to achieve immediate reductions in government expenditure. The agency also argues that “maintaining expensive universal supports and subsidies is difficult to justify under present budgetary circumstances”.