Fallout of the 2009 Irish government budget

Ireland officially declared it was in a recession in September 2008. Prior to this declaration, the Irish government announced, on 3 September 2008, that it was to bring forward the 2009 government budget from its usual December date to 14 October 2008.[12] In a statement, the government claimed that this was largely due to a decrease in the global economy.[13] The budget, labelled "the toughest in many years"[14], included a number of controversial measures such as a proposed income levy which was eventually restructured,[15] and the withdrawal of previously promised HPV vaccines for schoolgirls.[16][17][18][19][20] Other results of the budget included a new income levy being imposed on all workers above a specified threshold and the closure of a number of military barracks near the border with Northern Ireland.[21][22][23][24][25]

An unexpected public outcry was invoked over the proposed withdrawal of medical cards and the threatened return of university fees. A series of demonstrations ensued amongst teachers and farmers,[26][27][28][29][30][31] whilst on 22 October 2008, at least 25,000 pensioners and students descended in solidarity on government buildings at Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin.[32] Some of the pensioners were even seen to cheer on the students as the protests passed each other on the streets of Dublin.[33] Slogans such as "no cutbacks, no fees, no Fianna Fáil TDs" and "education is a right not a privilege" have since become commonplace in student protests against the government organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the newly formed Free Education for Everyone (FEE), as have puns on the then Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe.[34][35] Changes to education led to a ministerial meeting with three Church of Ireland bishops[36] who were assured by O'Keeffe that religious instruction would be unaffected by the budget changes


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