Pensioners to escape brunt of cutbacks

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has given his strongest indication yet that pensioners will escape the brunt of cutbacks in the budget in three weeks time.

Speaking in Dublin yesterday evening, Mr Cowen said he was proud of the provision made for pensioners in previous years and that it was not his intention to undo all that work.

Mr Cowen told the European Pension Funds Awards Presentation in the RDS that budgets are not simply about balancing books.