'Reckless and short-sighted': Government accused of breaking Budget promises by Longford-Westmeath TD

Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, has expressed outrage that the Minister for Public Expenditure is rowing back on budget commitments by slashing hundreds of millions of euros of planned spending across government departments.

Deputy Clarke’s comments come in response to parliamentary question replies revealing the Minister’s cuts to planned departmental spending - including a €39million cut to the Department of Justice, €18million cut to the Department of Transport and a €5million cut to the Department of Housing.

Deputy Clarke said, "This is an unholy mess, all of the Government’s own making.

“The decision to cut departmental budgets - including Transport, Justice and Housing - is reckless and short-sighted and will leave our communities worse-off in the long run.

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"It beggars belief that, in the midst of an ever-worsening housing crisis, the Government is cutting the Department of Housing’s planned spending by €5 million.

“We are a wealthy country, with record surpluses. Now is not the time for austerity.

“The Government should be strengthening our economy by investing in our public services, improving critical infrastructure and delivering much needed social and affordable housing.

“Instead, they are rowing back on budget commitments, making working people and families pay the price for their inability to manage the public finances.

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“We still do not know the full extent of these cuts. This information is being drip-fed to the public in patchy and inconsistent responses by departments to parliamentary questions.

“The Minister for Public Expenditure [Jack Chambers] must publicly confirm exactly how much he is cutting planned spending for each government department.

"If the Government needs money to cover overspending, they should put an end to the tax breaks and handouts they are giving to banks, developers and big landlords who should be paying their fair share of taxes.

“Sinn Féin is opposed to any cuts to our essential public services and is calling on the minister to reverse these unnecessary cuts immediately.”