At last we've a plan and a little display of leadership; Lord Henry VIEW FROM SLANE CASTLE.

Byline: Lord Henry

FEEL like you have been to the dentist and have had your fiscal teeth pulled out? Or are you just numbed by the awful reality of the Emergency Budget? The glum expression on Bertie Ahern's face as Brian Lenihan was on his feet in the Dail on Tuesday said it all.

Here was a man who will probably go down in history as the most financially irresponsible Taoiseach ever, having his pension wiped out as long as he remains a TD. There can't have been a dry eye in Fagan's that night.

ILLUSTRATION

However, let us not forget that equally to blame in promoting policies that have led us into this mess is the current Taoiseach.

To this day his continuing efforts to blame international events for the sorry state in which we find ourselves grate on the general public.

His naked portrait says it all - the offence it caused him and his supporters an illustration of their misguided priorities.

Still we have arrived at a crossroads, and difficult though it is to repress anger at those responsible for leading the Celtic Tiger up the garden path and having it butchered, we must as a nation move forward.

In this respect, I feel Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has shown some sense of humility in accepting in a guarded fashion that Fianna Fail must bear a deep responsibility for what has happened.

To be truthful he has probably gone as far as he can without being shafted by either the Taoiseach or his colleagues in the Government.

The minister has introduced a Budget that has inflicted pain on a wide scale, but the dependence on a very blunt instrument in the form of the levies is that it may seriously depress economic activity.

He must be praying that a continuing drop in the cost of living will soften the blow.

However, taxing the blazes out of people is the easy part. He must address public expenditure - and the public mood is ugly. People will no longer tolerate waste.

The biggest risk for this state is his plan to deal with the toxic debts of the banks.

His plan is radical, courageous but holds considerable and possibly unquantifiable risks for the nation.

Everything will be in its implementation.

MISTRUSTFUL

The minister is starting to surround himself with people who may have the skills to guide the process but he must communicate to a mistrustful public that no favour whatsoever will be shown to those who have dumped their mistakes on us all. I have to say at last we have a plan and some leadership.

Punishment will come.

CAPTION(S):

RESPONSIBLE Cowen HUMBLE Lenihan