The Government’s final austerity budget is facing a major crisis halfway after Health Minister James Reilly said his department cannot achieve a fifth of its planned savings.

IT is good that all top-level staff in the civil service who earn more than €200,000 have agreed to accept significant pay cuts. Earlier this week, Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said he expected this to be replicated across the public service though semi-state bosses may or may not comply.