Around 1,000 Irish nurses, police officers and firefighters marched through Dublin today in protest at government spending cut plans, less than a week after tens of thousands protested across Ireland over the same issue, according to Reuters. The demonstration, led by a vintage fire engine, ambulance and police car and cheered by passers-by, also came ahead of a planned national strike of public sector workers on Nov. 24. "We have already paid enough. We won"t take any further cuts," Des Kavanagh, chairman of the "24/7 Frontline Services Alliance", told Reuters. Prime Minister Brian Cowen has said he must find savings worth 4 billion euros ($6 billion) to rein in the budget deficit, one of Europe"s biggest and expected this year at around 12.5 percent of gross domestic product. The European Commission has given Ireland a one-year extension until 2014 to reduce the deficit to the EU"s limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product. However, the Finance ministry has said the new deadline would not reduce the adjustment needed for 2010. "It"s helpful that the Commission has given an extra year. It makes sense," said Kavanagh, calling for measures to widen the tax base instead of targeting public servants" pay.
