Reaction The Budget did nothing for the people who were most in need, the Green Party spokesman on finance, Mr Dan Boyle, claimed.
"It continues to perpetuate the inequalities which benefit those who already 'have' in this country," he said. "The Minister has learned well from his previous incarnation as Minister for Social Welfare."
Mr Boyle said Mr McCreevy had introduced "social welfare for the rich", adding that the Opposition had enough of such policies. The decentralisation programme showed that ministers had carved out between them who would benefit from it. The proposal, he said, was a scam, adding that it amounted to no more than office relocation.
"The decisions to be made by Government will continue to be centralised. It does not matter to the people affected by such decisions if they are made in Nenagh, Sligo or Dublin. There will be a benefit in terms of easing the pressure on Dublin, an economic advantage to the towns where these offices are relocated, but do not insult us by referring to this as decentralisation."
Mr Seán Crowe (SF, Dublin South West) said it was Mr McCreevy's seventh budget "in a seemingly endless sustained and vicious assault on working-class people in Ireland". Its most regrettable aspect, he added, was that the Minister had alternatives.
"He had many alternatives and they were outlined for him in alternative budgets and pre-Budget submissions made by a range of organisations, including Sinn Féin. He chose not to use them and in doing so, I have no doubt his name will become a curse for hundreds of thousands of people across the State."
Mr Crowe said the miserly increases in social welfare, barely keeping above inflation, had been wiped out with other cuts in social welfare already announced in the Book of Estimates and through the introduction of numerous stealth taxes during the past year. "Again, on taxation, Mr McCreevy has left his big-business buddies and high-flying executives untouched."
Ms Marian Harkin (Independent, Sligo-Leitrim) said she was tired of listening to ministers about how much they spent, as if it was supposed to mean something. "What matters is how they spend it? Does it deliver the services we need and pay for? Does it deliver the world-class health service we were promised? Not according to those on waiting lists or on hospital trolleys."
