SOCIAL PARTNERS:THE BUDGET has been criticised by trade unions, with Siptu leader Jack O'Connor saying it would make it very difficult to reach a deal on economic recovery with the Government.

He said the Budget was “not a basis for social solidarity”. Those who were losing their jobs faced reduced social welfare payments yet saw no tangible measures for job maintenance.

However, employers’ group Ibec welcomed it as “a credible response to the current difficulties in the public finances”.

Ibec director general Turlough O’Sullivan said the Budget sent “a clear and positive signal that the Irish Government is taking effective remedial action over the next five year”.

However, he said Ibec would have preferred a greater emphasis on cutting current expenditure immediately rather than on increasing taxation.

Ictu general secretary David Begg described the Budget as “harsh and lacking in a serious and structured response to the jobs crisis, which is the single greatest problem we face”.

“Protecting jobs, maximising employment and creating new opportunities should have been to the fore in this Budget, but the measures were simply not commensurate with the gravity of the problem we face.

“Some €4.5 billion is to be injected into the banks this year, but all they could muster for helping the unemployed was €128 million.”