Why IT budgets need to be unfrozen

It seems from my work as an IT consultant in Ireland that Irish IT Budgets are, with few exceptions, pretty much completely frozen at this time. IT managers don't seem to have the budget or confidence to make investments, even if they will ultimately lead to cost savings.

IT budgets need to be unfrozen so that IT departments can reduce their own internal costs as well as those in the business and begin to make the investments necessary for the upturn which may be coming next year.

The time for action is now, not when the upturn is here.