Howlin: Public will breathe 'sigh of relief' after Budget
Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said this morning that "most people will breathe a sigh of relief" after today's Budget.
Speaking on his way into this morning's Cabinet meeting, Brendan Howlin said the public can look forward to a "minor easement" of the pressures upon them.
He said it was important to achieve the Government's fiscal targets in a way that recognises the "incredible" effort of the Irish people - after seven years of the harshest conditions.
Minister Howlin says it is the start of a "milestone" era for Ireland.
"Most people now will breathe a sigh of relief today as they look forward to some minor easement of the pressures upon them, but more importantly, look forward to a future when we can have quality public services, value for money for the very hard-pressed taxpayer ," he said.
"We will continue to create an innovative job base for future generations, not only for the people who want work in this country, but for the thousands of Irish people who are forced to leave the country."
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the Budget will include measures aimed at making the water charge as "affordable and fair as possible".
The issue has been one of the most controversial measures introduced by the government, and attracted
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Government sources have beeninsisting that the relief package was agreed before the mass protests.
Enda Kenny said that Minister Michael Noonan will outline the provisions in his speech to the Dáil this afternoon.
"We'd like to think that this is as affordable and as fair and as equitable as possible in order to deal with the problems and the challenges we face of giving a proper supply of high-quality water for business for consumers, for people all over the country," he said.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan said that the aim of the Budget is to create an economy which will attract emigrants home.
He would not comment on anticipated water charge relief for low and middle families, but said spending cuts and tax increases are not on the agenda.
“The purpose of the Budget is to secure the recovery, which is now moving along strongly, and as we secure the recovery we’ll create extra jobs,” he said.
“The people who suffered most over the last six or seven years are the people who lost their jobs, and then the people who were forced to emigrate.
“So I’d hope to create more jobs to get people off the live register and have a growing economy that attracts young people back home again.”
