Brendan Howlin acknowledges people under financial strain

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has said the results of the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll are "perfectly understandable" because people are under financial strain.

The poll found more voters would prefer income tax cuts to improved public services in next week’s budget .

“People who are under strain, if you ask them could they do with a few bob back in their pockets, it’s perfectly understandable that people would say yes,” Mr Howlin said this morning.

“We have broadened the tax base, there are new charges to be paid and people are under strain. So any additionality, any lessening of that strain that can be brought to bear obviously is a good thing.”

He was speaking at a business breakfast in Dublin city centre organised by the Peter McVerry Trust.

Fr McVerry also said he understood the poll findings.

“I can understand that. People are struggling. People at all levels are struggling. Obviously when you’re struggling the first thing you want to do is stop struggling,” Fr McVerry said.

“So I can understand that and it doesn’t surprise me. It doesn’t even dismay me. I would hope that there might be some relief for everybody in the budget. Not the higher tax earners, but I think a commitment to improving services gradually over the next few years would make a huge difference to a lot of poor people.”