The Secretary General of the Department of Finance has left open the possibility of a tougher than planned budget because we will have to downgrade growth prospects for this year and next.

A BANKING inquiry will be a priority for the Government if voters give parliamentary members tougher investigative powers in next month’s referendum, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said nothing was conceded on corporation tax to get a cut in the bailout interest rate.

THE State is squandering €5 million a year of taxpayers’ money deliberately dragging families with special needs children through the courts in order to break their will to battle for key education resources, TDs yesterday warned.

FINE GAEL are to table a motion in the Dáil today to have the financial services regulation legislation delayed in the wake of the AIB overcharging scandal.

THE €25 million overcharging scandal at AIB bank could have been detected as far back as 1998, it emerged last night.

THE Revenue Commissioners are digging in their heels by refusing to compensate public service widows who paid too much tax — despite continued criticism from the Ombudsman.