Michael Noonan to outline three years of cuts in October

The Sunday Business Post is reporting that the minister for finance will outline the next three years of budget cuts and tax increases this October as part of a pre budget 'assessment'.

While it will be unpalatable to listen to no doubt, it will be a positive for tax payers and the markets alike as it will give people some measure of certainty going forward. Consumer confidence has been hit hard over the last 4 years with people being afraid to spend as they didn't know what burdens the next budget might hoist on them. We are well used to ministers refusing to answer what future budgets might hold, simply saying that 'all shall be revealed' on budget day. This policy of silence was an insult to tax payers and basic principles of democracy.

While we never want to take a reduction to our income, if we at least know what we are facing, we can cut our cloth accordingly. Hopefully the policy of 'Glasnost' will feed through to all aspects of our governance.

FS