Spending spree - Vote-buying now costing us dearly

The Government can no longer evade the charge that the blizzard of cutbacks, which it euphemistically describes as “cost savings”, are the result of a massive vote-buying spree orchestrated in advance of the general election.

Today’s Irish Examiner investigation shows conclusively that millions of euros were poured into the economy in the first half of the year.

This partly explains why the Government’s recent economic outlook showed public spending running at 22%, well above the budgeted increase of 14% for the year as a whole.