IMF concerned over Irish budget progress

The International Monetary Fund has raised its concerns about the Government’s decision not to implement austerity measures in Budget 2015.

After an IMF team finished its five-day visit to Dublin yesterday it issued a statement congratulating Ireland for completing the troika fiscal programme, but warned that straying from the approach could be risky with eurozone growth prospects still very uncertain.

The statement said Budget 2015 “shows fiscal restraint but makes less progress than desirable”.