Didn’t catch Enda Kenny’s historic speech? Here’s what you missed…

On a night that TV3 deemed not important enough to ditch The Xtra Factor, Taoiseach Enda Kenny tonight told the Irish people of the challenges that we face as a "community, economy and as a country."

Mr Kenny began his speech by stating that the Irish citizens are not responsible for the current crisis and that it will “never be allowed to happen again".

Referring to Ireland's ability to meet its commitments to the EU and IMF in full and on time, the Taoiseach said that both achievements had restored confidence in Ireland and the steps that were taken reflected "your courage, your character and your sense of responsibility, for which I thank you."

"Right now, the State is spending €16 billion a year more than it is taking in. This problem will not be fixed unless we take action to bridge this gap. This can only be done by us, ourselves. Working together. That means that in this Budget we must cut public spending by €2.2 billion and raise €1.6 billion in extra taxes," began the Taoiseach when speaking on next week's budget.

In perhaps the biggest announcement of the night, Mr Kenny said that income tax will be untouched in the budget and instead the €1.6bn in taxes needed to be raised will mainly come through unspecified indirect taxes.

Mentioning reckless spending, weak oversight of banks and reliance on a property boom for tax revenues as the causes of Ireland's ongoing crisis, the Taoiseach then acknowledged that all the decisions the country takes are "set against the backdrop of continuing uncertainty about the future of the European single currency".

Closing his speech, Mr Kenny said that he did want to make the future sound "simplistic or painless" and that it will take several years to create the jobs needed. However, the resolute Taoiseach said: "I want to be the Taoiseach who retrieves Ireland's economic sovereignty and who leads a government that will help our country really succeed."

Stirring words indeed, even if we did have to miss Misha B's exit comments on the Xtra Factor to sit through it all. Damn you Enda.