IT WAS A put down that Brendan Howlin had clearly been waiting to use for sometime.

Towards the conclusion of his Budget speech, the Labour Public Expenditure Minister said the economic recovery was not only justification of the coalition’s policies, but “a condemnation of the easy alternatives offered by some”.

Then, in a barb aimed at those who supported the radical left-wing Syriza government in Greece, Howlin asked rhetorically:

Who speaks of Syriza now?

Rowdiness ensued:

AAA TD Paul Murphy, whom the comment was most likely aimed at, was none too impressed:

This was just one a number of comments during the hour-and-a-half-long speeches from ministers Micheal Noonan and Howlin that sparked rowdy scenes in the Dáil chamber.

Earlier, Micheal Noonan showed why you can take the boy out of Limerick but not the Limerick out of the boy.

The Finance Minister was less than impressed by the interjections from Mattie McGrath as other left-wing TDs were distinctly unhappy with the lack of announcements on social housing:

BUDGET 2016 LIVE: The announcements, as they happen

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