UNIONS' REACTION:UNIONS HAVE reacted angrily to what they described as "an unjust and uncaring" Budget.
The president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) Jack O’Connor said it ranked as “the most callous” Budget introduced by any Minister for Finance since the 1930s.
Ictu general secretary David Begg said the Budget was marked by a “criminal neglect of any serious initiative on jobs and job protection”.
The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) said the Government had “effectively declared war on the public service by reneging on discussions to find a workable solution as an alternative to cuts in salary”. The retail and bar workers’ union Mandate said Budget 2010 represented an “unfair burden” on low-income families.
Unite described the Budget as “a savage attack” on the most vulnerable members of society.
Impact said the entire public sector workforce had been alienated by the Government’s actions.
The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants described the decision to introduce a pay cut “as a brutal and grossly unfair reduction in the pay of individuals who work hard on behalf of the State”.
Civil and Public Service Union (CPSU) leader Blair Horan said the introduction of pay cuts and changes to public sector pensions “invites industrial conflict”.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said the pay cuts and changes to the pension scheme would have a damaging effect on public services.
The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said it was “appalled” at the cuts while the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said it was disgraceful to treat dedicated public servants in such a callous manner.