Austerity scandal 'must be stopped'

Fergus Finlay of Barnardos has said the “austerity scandal” has meant people who do not have a voice have suffered the most since the collapse of the so-called Celtic Tiger.

He was speaking at a Claiming Our Future event earlier today, during which the group launched its “Plan B” campaign it says can generate jobs and protect frontline services in advance of the next Budget.

“Political choices that have been made since the Celtic Tiger started to collapse have all been in one direction and the consequences are plain to be seen now,” Mr Finlay said.

“What I think ought to be infuriating all of us and mobilising all of us is the fact that it is only people who don’t have a voice who have suffered in the main from the austerity choices that have been made.”

He said government departments would be defending their budgets over the next few months. The Coalition would try to cut as much as possible in order to raise less through taxation, despite the fact that Ireland had a lower tax take than any other country in Europe outside the Baltic States, he said.