Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar say the latest fiasco regarding mortgage interest relief shows up the incompetence of the Government.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan says there should be no need for confusion about the future of mortgage interest relief.

The Government is coming under fire amid confusion over the new rules on mortgage interest relief that were announced in the emergency Budget.

Government ministers on national and European engagements have been summoned to the Dáil for a crucial vote, it emerged tonight.

The Government has successfully voted down a Labour Party motion calling for the reversal of the decision to abolish the Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients.

Fine Gael's finance spokesperson has accused the Government of being unfit to run the finances of a corner shop.

The Labour Party is putting pressure on government backbenchers and independent TDs to vote against the controversial scrapping of the Christmas social welfare bonus.

The five junior ministers whose jobs are being axed by the Taoiseach are reportedly set to get a generous golden parachute.

Green Party leader John Gormley has said that TDs and Senators should take the initiative and give up their long-service increments.

The Taoiseach says it was not the Government's intention to mislead people when announcing the scrapping of long-service payments for TDs and Senators.

The Labour Party says it intends to turn up the heat on the Government when the Dáil resumes next week.

The Taoiseach has reportedly said the Government will seek legal advice on how it might force sitting TDs and Senators to give up their long-service payments.

Green Party chairperson senator Dan Boyle has said Budget measures to reduce political costs should not be introduced in any delayed way.

Fine Gael has slammed the Government's apparent plan to backdate the budget increase in income levies to the start of the year.

The Association of Secondary Teachers (ASTI) says between 800 and 1,000 second-level teachers will lose their jobs as a result of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio.

Senior TDs are reportedly set to keep their long-service bonuses despite Government promises to scrap the payments.

The increased income levies introduced in this month's emergency Budget are reportedly set to be backdated to the start of the year.

Women may get trapped in abusive relationships due to new changes in the supplementary Budget, it was claimed today.

It has been claimed that thousands of older people are facing an increased risk of robbery due to Budget cut-backs.

The Irish Road Haulage Association has described the five cent duty increase on fuel as potentially fatal to small operators.

Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan today rejected claims from the Opposition that the establishment of the new National Assets Management Agency amounts to a bail-out of the banks.

CONSUMER spending will fall by a minimum of 6%-7% this year in the aftermath of Tuesday’s emergency Budget, Retail Ireland warned yesterday.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan has opened a poverty trapdoor for poor children by introducing a series of damaging tax and welfare system changes for young families across the country, a leading group has warned.

THESE are the shocking words of a 51-year-old teacher who along with ordinary members of the public expressed their anger and disillusionment concerning the budget directly to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday.

THE new “bad bank” was the subject of a heated row between Taoiseach Brian Cowen and opposition leaders in the Dáil.

FINE GAEL has said within two years the majority of income tax will be needed to pay interest on the national debt if the Government does not change its budget strategy.

THE budget will be criticised from within the Fianna Fáil ranks in the Dáil today when rebel backbencher Ned O’Keeffe speaks out against plans to introduce a toxic assets agency.

THE budget “screwed” middle-class families, attacked the vulnerable, did little for jobs and bailed out the banks, the opposition has said.

MIDDLE and one income families are set to be hit hardest in Brian Lenihan’s newly dubbed “bludget”.

THIRD-level college bosses have warned of further reductions in student services after the sector was hit by another €20 million cut in the supplementary budget.

The Government has again snubbed demands for a carbon tax and put the much-needed revenue earner on the back burner.

ANYONE earning more than €26,000 will pay twice the amount of health tax from May 1 under changes announced yesterday.

IN THE face of mounting unemployment and reduced employment opportunities, yesterday’s budget introduced a range of measures designed to upskill those who lose their jobs or cannot find work.

CONTROVERSIAL plans to co-locate public and private hospitals at six sites around the country are not likely to be affected by budget changes to capital allowance schemes.

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan said the Government will buy up to €90 billion worth of bad bank debts in a further effort to restore them to solvency.

MINISTER for Finance Brian Lenihan warned yesterday that there would be “appropriate” punishment for those executives seen to have eroded the reputation of the Irish banking sector over the past number of months.

BRIAN LENIHAN is planning a tour of Europe’s financial capitals over the coming weeks in a bid to restore Ireland’s reputation on the international stage.

PAY Related Social Insurance will now be payable on €75,000 of a person’s income instead of the pre-budget ceiling of €52,000.

MOTHERS should continue to receive child benefit with the tax applying only to those who couldafford it, Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin said last night.

THE provision by the state of a year of pre-school education will not cover full-day childcare but the measure was generally welcomed last night.

THE Government is to scrap the Early Childcare Supplement by the end of the year and the e1,000 annual payment will be halved from May.

SOCIAL and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin last night outlined plans for savings of e300 million this year and €400m in 2010 with the tightening of certain benefits set to free up funds for the growing number of people on the dole.

SOCIAL welfare recipients will not get a Christmas bonus payment this year while jobseekers under the age of 20 will have their welfare allowance halved to €100 a week.

OVER a dozen planned public transport projects have been postponed as a result of cutbacks totalling more than €500 million introduced by the Government since last October’s budget.