The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has hit back at critics of the Government's economic policies outlined in the Budget.

Commenting on the Budget, The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) said that although there were many very welcome initiatives in the budget, the immediate impact on exporters will be the increase in excise duty on diesel.

The Minister for Rural and Gaeltacht affairs, Eamon O'Cuiv, is welcoming the decision by Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, to relocate some Government departments to regional centres under the long-planned decentralisation scheme.

The Simon Community says the proposed changes to the rental allowance scheme should be put on hold until the Government can guarantee that it won't cause homelessness.

The Labour Party is asking why the Budget did not allocate money towards health improvements proposed in the Hanly Report.

House prices could be set to rise further as a result of Charlie McCreevy's budget.

Lobby groups and political parties were quick to criticise the Budget yesterday, claiming it had failed to provide for those in most need of financial assistance.

Small firms association ISME said it was disappointed with the 2004 Budget saying it that it does little for Irish business and little to encourage Irish entrepreneurs.

The former General Secretary of IMPACT, Phil Flynn, will chair the Decentralisation Committee to oversee the transfer of 10,000 public service jobs from Dublin.

Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board welcomed today's announcement from the Government that Ireland's film incentive Section 481 is being retained.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy said in his Budget speech today that the Government would be spending €5.6bn on capital investment next year, and that he wanted to see better value for these funds.

Jimmy Quinn of the Road Haulage Association has said the 5c per litre increase in petrol and diesel prices is an attack on truckers.

Anti-smoking group ASH has said the Minister for Finance has not increased cigarette prices enough.

Fine Gael's spokesman on Finance, Richard Bruton, has said that the budget has no answers for 'rip off Ireland'.

Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Mary Harney has described today’s budget as a ‘radical and reforming budget for Ireland’.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy today announced that Irish companies will be able to avail of tax relief on their R&D expenditure.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy has said today that he believed high tax rates cost jobs "sooner rather than later" and that "he is not going to go down that road".

Screen Producers Ireland (SPI) has welcomed Charlie McCreevy’s decision to retain Section 481 until the end of 2008.

The Business Expansion Scheme (BES) is to be extended to the end of 2006, announced the Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy's in his Budget speech in the Dáil today.

Motorists have been hammered in the Budget with total tax increases of €230m, equating to €125 per year for every motorist in the country, according to the Automobile Association.

Charlie McCreevy today said in a bid to address the problems of an ageing population creating future pension problem that the compulsary retirement age for civil servants of 65 yrs is to be abolished for new entrants, allowing staff to work longer if they wish.

The Irish Tobacco Manufacturers Advisory Committee (ITMAC) has expressed its regret that Charlie McCreevy has added 25c to a packet of 20 cigarettes.

Some €2.8bn will be borrowed in 2004, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy has announced.

Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy, in a shorter-than-usual Budget speech, has announced that eight government departments will be decentralised.

Charlie McCreevy has said that the "goal of keeping inflation low sets a precendent on this occasion" in the area of on indirect taxation.

Charlie McCreevy has announced that up to 12,000 civil servants are to be relocated out of Dublin in 2004.

The 2004 spend on social welfare will be €750m more than in 2003, an increase of more than 7%, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy has announced.

Section 481 film tax relief has been extended to the end of 2008 by Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy in his Budget for 2004.

An additional €30m has been allocated to primary and secondary school building programmes for 2004, Minister Charlie McCreevy has announced.

Finance Minister Charle McCreevy has taken to the floor in the Dáil chamber to deliver his Budget statement for next year.

The ISEQ index was up marginally this morning as traders waited to see what lies in store in Charlie McCreevy’s Budget this afternoon.

Charlie McCreevy has appeared in front of the cameras at Government Buildings hours ahead of delivering what many are hoping will be a relatively conservative Budget.

Junior Minister Frank Fahey has come under fire from opposition parties after he did a U-turn on his position regarding Community Employment Schemes.

Charlie McCreevy today unveils Budget 2004, with tax cuts aimed at lower waged and significant increases in social welfare benefits, at a cost of €750m to the Exchequer.

One of the big losers in today's Budget could be the Film industry if tax breaks for multi-national production companies are scrapped.

The Finance Minister, Charlie McCreevy, will announce Budget 2004 later today revealing Government plans for taxation over the next year.

Schools and roads are expected to be the main beneficiaries in today’s Budget.

The Carers Association is calling for parity of pay with foster parents in tomorrow's Budget.

The Irish Exporters Association has predicted that Ireland will return to export growth in 2004 if tomorrow's Budget does not increase inflation.

Fianna Fáil backbenchers are tonight expected to voice their opposition to moves by the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, to implement cuts in the Community Employment Scheme.

The National Competitiveness Council is calling on the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, to deliver a Budget that will stimulate competition in the economy.

Socialist Party leader, Joe Higgins, says Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy should use next Wednesday’s Budget to give a boost to the less well-off in society and to implement justice on taxation.

Independent TD for Dublin North-Central Finian McGrath is calling on the Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy to give concessions to persons with intellectual disabilities in next week's Budget.

Opposition parties have rounded on the Minister for Finance, calling on him to reverse cuts to community employment schemes.