The opposition parties reacted strongly to the Book of Estimates published by the Minster for Finance, Mr Cowen, today.
The Labour Party said the Minister for Finance had failed to deliver improvements in services across the board.
Ms Joan Burton of the party described the book of estimates as "a belated attempt by Fianna Fáil to undo some of the worst damage inflicted by their cutbacks since the General Election."
Fine Gael Deputy Leader and Spokesman on Finance, Mr Richard Bruton, while welcoming some of the measures in todays estimates criticised what he called the "excessive reliance on stealth charges".
"Today's estimates follow a familiar pattern. They are big on talk, but low on delivery. Many of the high-sounding promises are proving to be hollow," Mr Bruton said.
The Green Party spokesperson for Finance, Mr Dan Boyle said: "The cuts being proposed in the Estimates for the Office of Public Works defy credulity. With these figures it is hard to see how any Government decentralisation programme will be able to get off the ground".
"All in all, this is either a Minister for Finance who is keeping his cards very close to his chest or a man who is laughing up his sleeve at the idea of this being a caring sharing left-wing Government," Mr Boyle concluded.
Sinn Féin's Finance spokesperson Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said it signalled "the start of Fianna Fáil's General Election campaign".
Mr Ó Caoláin said that he welcomed the widening of medical card qualification however, he added that the Government had "re-enforced the two-tier nature of the health system and there is nothing in these Estimates or in the Health Bill to indicate any change in direction".