Ministers pressed to make 2.5% budget cuts

THE cabinet meets tomorrow with ministers under severe pressure from the Department of Finance to find ways to cut budgets.

Given that the budget has been brought forward from December to October as an emergency measure, ministers have less time than usual to finalise their spending plans.

Because of the Government’s financial woes, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is pressuring his colleagues to cut spending in their departments next year by about 2.5%.