Sir, - Renagh Holohan (Quidnunc, January 29th) seems to believe that the Minister for Finance is recovering from the "hysterical reaction" to his Budget. Regardless of the merits or demerits of individualisation, the net effect of the Budget was its dispersal of the most money ever available to a Minister for Finance in a grossly inequitable manner.
"Everyone gained," the Minister responded, and the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste parroted. But those who already have plenty were given proportionately and materially more, while those who remain behind in this rat-race society of ours are being left to watch the gulf between them and the real winners of the Celtic Tiger extend further and further, thanks to a Government that makes no attempt to bring about a more equal society - or even to accept a real responsibility for so doing. If the Finance Bill reinforces this trend, the Minister for Finance will have learned nothing.
As a political statement Budget 2000 shows a pretty perverse sense of priorities, if the goal of social inclusion is to be anything other than talked about. If it is to be hysterical to oppose this political direction then I, for one, will scream on. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr Dan Boyle, Green Party Spokesperson on Economics, Douglas Street, Cork.