No Budget giveaway, warns McCreevy

THE Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, made clear yesterday that he has no intention of playing Santa to the nation in his forthcoming Budget.

That would be to deny the changed circumstances of the economy and we have to face up to the “new reality” he said.

Outlining his no-nonsense Budget strategy, Mr McCreevy said : “I have frequently spoken of the need for prudence in economic management. Prudence dictates that we take sensible decisions, which won’t put at risk the gains made in recent years.”