Ireland passes 1st budget hurdle

The Irish government passed its first hurdle Tuesday in a bid to pass the harshest budget in the country's history.

The government won the first ballot, on voting procedure, by an 82-77 margin, but the vote on final passage had yet to come.

The budget revealed more taxes for next year as protesters outside parliament banged drums and blew whistles.

The spending plan will require many lower-income people to start paying income tax.

The measures are required in return for a 67.5-billion-euro ($91-billion Cdn) rescue package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said the plan the fourth emergency budget in three years for Ireland will cut spending by the equivalent of $6.1 billion Cdn and raise taxes by $2 billion.

The minimum wage will fall and welfare benefits will be trimmed.