Hundreds of people gathered on the streets of Dublin today to protest against Government cutbacks prior to the Minster for Finance, Mr McCreevy, delivering his budget.
Socialist TD's and trade union representatives met outside the Central Bank on Dame Street before marching to Leinster House to protest at spending cutbacks planned in recent estimates.
At Leinster House they called on Mr McCreevy to bring about the return of the first-time buyers grant and for an extension of the medical card scheme.
The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) protested outside Government Buildings against the significant increase in third level fees.
The USI believes that cutbacks and the introduction of full fees would create a two-tier Irish society.
Saying "no to dumbing down of third level education", the students chanted "Feck to fees, feck to corruption and feck to the Government."
Mr Colm Jordan, president of USI said: "Minister Dempsey came into office promising the moon and stars to the education world, but all he has succeeded in doing is jeopardising the academic future of thousands of young people whose families have been crippled by the increase in the college registration fee and constant allusions to the re-introduction of tuition fees".