Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

It is not yet 24 hours since the budget was announced and already the Government has done a U-turn. There will be many more U-turns because people will not stand for some of the cuts being imposed on them. Teacher numbers are being cut in second level schools, while rural areas, including farmers, face a multitude of cuts. The cost of school transport has increased and rural Garda stations will close. The decision to reduce funding for materials in community employment schemes from €1,500 to €500 is a disgraceful attack on community groups which no one has mentioned.