Well Don't say you didn't see it coming...looks like a black winter ahead and a tough budget...seems like we really are beholded to the free market. So, government to protect the rich, and market discipline and tough love for everyone else
The free market didn't encourage property investment at the peak of a bubble, using tax breaks. That was intervention by the government.
A true free market would also allow the collapse of the banks.
A slow death by a 1000 cuts. No point in waiting any longer, our TDs as a whole(all parties) are not up job of making hard decisions. Just get the IMF/EU in to make the cuts and (as another AAMer said) let them stand around the sidelines pointing fingers at each other. Cut once, cut deep.