Ireland's 4 year austerity plan - shifting the cost of collapse onto the poor & low paid‏

The Irish Government has announced its four year austerity programme which includes €10bn in public spending cuts (targeting welfare expenditure), a €1 per hour reduction in the minimum wage rate and tax rises: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3595acd4-f7cb-11df-b770-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss#axzz16D4HIVaX

Breaking a previous agreement with trade unions, the public sector payroll will be cut by £847 million with 27,000 civil service jobs lost. New entrants to public service employment will face a 10% pay cut.

"It appears that the day of reckoning has arrived. The Barbarians are at the gates.” said David Begg, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

The announcement gives added urgency to ICTU’s national demonstration in Dublin this Saturday November 27th.