Lenihan dismisses Tánaiste’s views on Snip report

FINANCE Minister Brian Lenihan stamped his authority on budget policy last night by dismissing the views of Tánaiste Mary Coughlan on the Bord Snip report and insisting her comments made little difference.

Mr Lenihan stressed the report, which recommends €5.3 billion in public sector cutbacks, would remain “key to the budgetary process”.

It came after Ms Coughlan had told the Dáil many of the report’s recommendations “don’t make sense”.