So the big squeeze is here at last. Predicted since long before the last general election, the tightening of belts that has been happening in households throughout the country has finally manifested itself in Brian Cowen cutting a new notch on his government's not inconsiderable financial belt.

Health and education for the most part will be left unaffected we are assured. At a time when children are being taught in toilets and A&E wards (if indeed open) are full to the brim, it comes as a small blessing. How can you take away something that is not there?

Projected HSE staff cutbacks though point to a serious error of judgement on the government's part in the initial structuring of the service, especially when the words 'surplus staff' were delivered. By the same token, the reins being pulled on decentralisation hearkens back to a questionable decisions taken almost five years ago to proceed with the doomed project.

Other areas of long-awaited development look as if they will be put on the backburner for a little longer, perhaps most worryingly for Cork commerce in the form of the Docklands project. It is not entirely clear yet whether this much-touted plan will be stalled, but early indications and concerns from the business community here would suggest that the matter is far from cut and dry.

It has been Brian Cowen's lot to preside over a turbulent first few months in office (coming so soon after Lisbon this week must seem like part two of a long-running horror) but in truth, none of this was unexpected.

Cutbacks may seem like a dirty word, but in reality it is a part of life and the reckless free spending in recent years of both the Irish government and people had to stop sometime.

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