| The Irish government has announced a $20 billion austerity package to reduce the budget deficit. The cuts are needed to secure an international bailout expected to be worth more than $100 billion. Ireland's Celtic Tiger economy is no longer roaring. Now the country is making amends for years of excess. Billions will be cut from its welfare budget. Some 25,000 public sector jobs will go. Even retired public sector workers will see their pensions reduced. There will be tax rises too. To boost income, the government is increasing VAT(value added tax). There will be new taxes as well on water and property, and many lower earners will be brought into the tax regime for the first time. |
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