Cowen refuses to guarantee pensions will not be cut

PENSIONS were still under threat of budget cuts last night as Brian Cowen refused to guarantee they would be saved from the axe.

With ministers seeking €3 billion worth of cuts as the lengthy pre-budget horse-trading begins in Government, the Taoiseach insisted he was not “softening-up” pensioners for bad news.

Mr Cowen added he could not ring-fence any area of spending from cutbacks at this stage of the budgetary process, but pledged to “protect the vulnerable” in society.