Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

What about the austerity that would mandatorily ensue next month or week if we pulled the plug on the funding coming into the State from both the European Central Bank and the EU-IMF programme? It would begin with a budget adjustment for 2012 of €11 billion. I would like the Deputy to suggest to this House where that money would come from. Who would she tax? Would it be the working people, who are finding it difficult to meet mortgage repayments and pay all their bills? Would it be the people in receipt of social welfare? Would she like to increase bin charges or water charges, about which she complains all the time?

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