Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be the first to say that the alternatives that were presented were by no means easy but those that were suggested and accepted were on the basis of being pro-growth, being competitive, and not increasing the tax burden and allowing for jobs to be created.

The first thing we had to do was deal with and reverse the situation Fianna Fáil had left of €750 million in tax increases over three years. A member of Deputy Martin’s Government said those increases were irreversible and could not be changed.

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