MINISTER FOR Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív has said “modest” budget cuts of €3 billion now will stave off far more potential hardship later.
Mr Ó Cuív, who was in Galway yesterday to open an art and creative-writing exhibition for mental health service users, also said the actual cuts would be far less drastic than the public anticipated.
“My department’s annual budget alone is €21 billion. That’s an Anglo Irish [bank] every year.
“We have made a commitment to Europe to cut €3 billion, €1 billion of which will come from capital spending and less than €2 billion from current spending as there will be some taxation element,” Mr Ó Cuív said.
Asked if the figure would be more than €3 billion, as indicated by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan last week, he said: “The official figure is €3 billion and that’s the one I am sticking to”.
A national campaign against Government plans to cut more than €3 billion in the budget is due to be initiated in Galway next week by the community and voluntary sector and trade unions.
The lunchtime rally on September 29th will be led by Siptu and the Community Workers Co-operative to highlight the concerns of more than 6,000 community organisations employing almost 55,000 people and involving many volunteers.
Co-operative national co-ordinator Ann Irwin said yesterday that “for the past 18 months, the Government has targeted the most disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and communities”.