Weekend pre-Budget meeting for Cabinet

THE Cabinet yesterday took the unusual step of meeting on Sunday to discuss its proposed measures on childcare, social welfare and tax bands in next month's Budget.

No pre-Budget meeting took place among ministers last year. But the Government Information Service said that pre-budgetary meetings have been a common occurrence in recent years.

When unveiling his Estimates programme for 2006 on Thursday, Finance Minister Brian Cowen said any additional spending in the Budget would be confined to childcare, investment, social welfare and services for the elderly.