The Tánaiste has been accused of being "a liar" and having a "hard neck of the bright brassy type" after claiming the budget was fair and balanced. 

Eamon Gilmore came under intense pressure in the Dáil this morning from both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil. 

Micheál Martin accused the Labour Party leader of deception for making pre-election promises on child benefit he never had any intention of keeping. 

"You spoke on budgets from this side of the house saying governments were going to rob child benefit from people's pockets. You were 'Mr Angry'. We all remember 'Labour's way or Frankfurt's way'. We all remember that deception" the Fianna Fáil leader said. 

The Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister accused Fianna Fáil of having a "hard neck". 

"Your legacy in this country was to bring in the IMF, this government's legacy will be to get rid of the IMF. This is a tough and difficult budget, but necessary in order to bring about recovery" Mr Gilmore retorted. 

"A lie is a lie and a liar is a liar"

Mary-Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin then accused the Tánaiste of having a hard and bright brassy neck for telling people this budget was fair. 

"How can you look at anyone in the eye and say this is fair? I don't know Tánaiste if you deliberately set out to make liars of your TDs, of your Ministers, of your Senators, and to make a liar of yourself?" she said. 

And she then turned directly to the Labour backbenchers to address them. 

"Maybe the die isn't cast and maybe despite your brass-necked leader who has made liars of you, liars of you lads, maybe you will actually step up to the plate and defend those people you made solemn promises to" she said. 

That led to calls for Deputy McDonald to withdraw the word "liar" which is seen as un-parliamentary language. 

Initially she declined to do so despite repeated requests from the Leas Ceann Comhairle before finally rewording her charge. 

"I will not be withdrawing that or any other word I have used in this chamber today. A lie is a lie and a liar is a liar....untruth perhaps? Well then let me withdraw the offensive term lie and say untruth, porky pie, Pinocchio, are they allowable?" she concluded. 

Mr Gilmore decided not to be drawn into the row about the use of the word lie, instead accusing Sinn Féin of having a "fairy-tale economic policy", and throwing the brass neck charge back at the party. 

"It takes some brass neck for Sinn Féin to complain here about basic rates of social welfare. Could it be true that the basic rate in the part of the island that Sinn Féin is in government in is 87 euro a week? And you are here complaining because this government has protected the basic rates of social welfare because we are not content with somebody living on less than €188 a week" he said.