On 9 December 2009 , the government budget for 2010 was delivered . Referred to at home and abroad in such terms as " the harshest budget in decades " , " the most austere Budget in the history of the State " and " what can only be described as one of the toughest Budgets in the history of the State " , it was marked by pay cuts for the public sector , and social welfare cuts . Also announced at the same time was € 70 million for those impacted by floods which had affected parts of the country . Global investors approved the measures introduced by Lenihan , with Irish government bonds receiving a boost following the Budget
floods
2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods
Brian Lenihan Jnr