Empty promises take toll

The Government’s pathetic standing in the most recent opinion poll, which indicated an unprecedented level of dissatisfaction, obviously prompted Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to issue a statement yesterday.

However, Fianna Fáil's ministers must be dizzy from excessive spinning if they expect the public to swallow the latest arguments.

The opposition parties certainly made rash promises during last year's election campaign, but that did not justify Fianna Fáil lying in assuring the electorate there were no economic cuts planned, even though the Department of Finance had already instructed various departments to implement such cuts.