Taoiseach rebuts watchdog criticism of plan to breach 5% spending rule

The Government has set its budgetary envelope at €6.4 billion, with additional public spending measures worth €5.2 billion and taxation changes costing an extra €1.1 billion.

Mr Varadkar rejected the assertion that ministers were set to repeat past mistakes, telling reporters as he arrived for a cabinet meeting in Co Wicklow: “We’re not going to do that.”

The Taoiseach has defended the Government’s approach to the budget following a critical assessment by a fiscal watchdog.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (IFAC)has warned ministers not to “repeat past mistakes” as it argued that a large budgetary package is not needed this year.