Minister tells those about to be crucified by the budget to ‘take a holiday’

Leo Varadkar told he is living in a land of ‘make-believe’

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Transport Minister Leo Varadkar

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A Fine Gael Minister has provoked fury by telling the country to take a holiday next year – days before his government introduces the toughest Budget yet.

Transport boss Leo Varadkar offered the advice as Minister for Finance Michael Noonan prepares to hit families hard in his first Budget.

Experts have predicted that the latest round of austerity measures forced on Ireland by the EU-IMF bail-out will cost every family $900 a month.

But Varadkar has bizarrely claimed that the Budget will be so easy that they will be able to afford a family holiday next year.

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The Irish Independent reports that Varadkar claimed households would ‘still have money’ to take a holiday.

“It won’t be all bad,” claimed the West Dublin deputy. “Incomes will remain untouched.

“The only people whose pay is being cut are ministers and senior civil servants. That means incomes will be the same next year.

“You’ll have to pay €100 for your house and 2pc on a new TV or fridge but that’s it. That means people will be able to take a holiday, which they might not have been able to afford this year.”

The paper reports that the Minister made his remarks on the same day when it emerged:

- The jobs crisis had deepened with another 1,700 signing on the dole last month.

- The total number of unemployed rose to 448,600.

- A new rise in health insurance premiums of up to 10 per cent is expected next year.

- Spending on credit cards has collapsed.

- One in 10 went without heating at some stage this year.

- Poverty levels hit a critical stage with one in five classified as living in deprivation.

The Government has already announced plans to raise the top rate of VAT by two per cent in the forthcoming budget while 1.5million homeowners will be hit with a $140 household charge.

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