Each little chip at the integrity of the emergency budget of 8 April over the last week seems inconsequential when considered alone.

Certainly none of the rowbacks to date involve large sums of money. But collectively they symbolise an uncertainty of purpose on the part of the government that is contributing to the national sense of caution and an overriding feeling of impending doom.

The week began with a U-turn on ministerial pensions to serving members of the Oireachtas. It means former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and 30 other former ministers still holding seats in the Dáil and Seanad, will hold at least a portion of the cumulative €750,000 paid to them each year.

Then it emerged that the €6,400 long-service payment to 66 senior deputies can't be scrapped. Contrary to finance minister Brian Lenihan's budget promise that everybody would feel the pain, it turns out that long-serving TDs won't have to suffer an effective 6% pay cut unless legislation is introduced.

On top of that, nobody knows when or if the number of Oireachtas committee will be reduced, as promised. And there is no information available as to whether teacher-TDs who pocket the difference between their salary and the employment of a substitute, will face a crackdown.

Then there's the issue of college fees – effectively parked until after the European and local elections in June. Minister Batt O'Keeffe insists that fees are essential and must be imposed, but there is no clear information to enable middle Ireland, already reeling from a series of unpleasant but necessary penalties, to plan ahead.

Add to that the uncertainty over child benefit payments. Minister Mary Hanafin favours taxing child benefit while the Department of Finance is believed to favour means testing.

Major questions emerge over whether it is to be taxed on an individual or household basis, how means testing would be enforced, how to treat separated or divorced couples and a myriad of other hurdles that have to be overcome to recoup €400 to €500m per year.

Beseiged and burdened, is it any wonder that the taxpayers of Ireland are reluctant to stimulate the economy by spending. The message from government couldn't be more depressing – do as we say, not as we do and prepare for worse, suckers!