Anger over EU plans to check budgets

SWEEPING new proposals for the European Commission to have pre-approval over the budgets of member states like Ireland provoked a political storm last night.

Fine Gael insisted the move would amount to an unacceptable loss of national sovereignty, but Finance Minister Brian Lenihan moved to allay fears branding opposition claims “reprehensible” and jingoistic.

The row erupted after Brussels insisted on tightening up on budget surveillance following the Greek financial crisis which threatened the whole eurozone.