Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Which of the treacherous 30 cuts and charges that were introduced in yesterday's budget is the Taoiseach most embarrassed by? Is it the 1% tax on the widow who takes a part-time cleaning job to supplement her pension? Is it the taking away of the medical card from old age pensioners? Is it the €100 charge that the parent of a sick child will now have to pay to attend accident and emergency or a hospital? Is it the €2,000 that the average middle income family will have to pay back to the Government in after-tax income as a result of yesterday's changes? Is it the €1,500 that the same hard-working family will have to pay in a registration fee when one of their children goes to college? Is it the cut in child benefit or the early childhood payment? Is it the increase in class sizes? Is it the fact that to date the only organisation to welcome the budget is the Construction Industry Federation?

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